A Tangled Web
by crystalquirt
Summary: Something has caused heat and trace amounts of radiation in the deep sea. Thinking it volcanic, Gordon takes Thunderbird Four to be sure after John detected an unusual amount of dead sea life in the area. The water around the phenomenon has turned brownish yellow, all the way up to the surface. One species still thrive there.
1. Chapter 1

A Tangled Web

By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction

I don't own anything or anyone.

*** Very special thanks to TigreMalabarista for proofing this story for me as well and making many wonderful suggestions and corrections for me!

* * *

Haunted House!

* * *

It was as if night and a black hole joined in a union to suck out the light - and life - that touched it. For one young couple, that feeling lingered as they rounded the corner hallway of the old Bransonville Mansion haunted house, one of the most popular haunted houses in London.

Walking down the dark hallway the young man walked into what felt like one strand of spider's web. He wiped off his face and asked his girl, "Do I have a spider on me?"

"I don't see anything, but it's dark in here," said the young woman. Just as she said it she turned to walk and encountered the same sensation, very thin monofilament strands stretched down and across the hallway low enough to get in her face.

"Ooh!" The sensation on her face and neck, made her sure that there was at least one spider on her. "Do you see anything on me?"

"Not really Honey… It's quite dark in -"

They both screamed as something larger but still very light, fell from the ceiling and touched both of them. The black material on the walls and over their heads was covered with thick cobwebs, and those stuck to their hair and clothes, making their senses go even wilder.

"Oh, let's get moving," said the girl as the rushed to the next room. On the floor, walls and ceiling, glowing images of yellow serpents appeared and disappeared before their eyes. The glowing images distracted the people going through the haunted room from the people, all in black who crouched low on the floors. They were all dressed in black, and would gently grab at ankles and tap shoes as people walked through.

The young man was just sure that what was touching him was a whole bunch of snakes and he screamed more loudly than his girlfriend. Though scared herself when one tapped her Achilles' heel, she had to laugh at how high his voice went.

Down another even narrower hallway, the hosts of the haunted house covered the walls in dense black curtains for the holiday festivities. Feeling closed in, the young man was already on the verge of panicking, but to show his girl that he wasn't afraid, he said, "There's nothing really here! Watch this!"

He fumbled along the curtain until he found an edge of the fabric. Then he pulled it back expecting to see a plain wall in the old London house.

"See? Nothing!" He looked at her to see her reaction to his bravery.

But his girlfriend screamed and ran ahead. The man turned and saw what he thought could be a real live vampire with outstretched arms under a flowing cape and long fangs bared. He screamed even higher and ran after his girl.

But he wouldn't find her.

Even after he found his way outside, he didn't see her. He tried calling her cell phone, but his call went straight to voicemail. After the third time he called with the same result, he put his phone in his pocket and took handfuls of his hair into his hands, trying to think. He was beginning to panic then. "Where are you, Honey?" he said, trying to think of what to do next.

The dark-haired girl, barely more than a teenager ran, letting 'Dracula' finish her boyfriend if he wanted to.

After a few twists and turns, she came down a hallway and turned left. The dark hallway with black curtains lining the walls stopped at the end, with another small table and a lit candle sitting in the center.

At least this candle isn't moving, she thought. A door squeaked open and all she could see was darkness beyond. She hesitated, staying close to the wall and trying to peek inside.

Near her head, a hairy arm came from behind the curtain and grabbed her from behind. The hand clamped over her mouth so she couldn't scream. She tried to remove the hand, but a few moments longer, she went completely limp as she was dragged into the dark room.

If someone did hear her muffled cry before she passed out, they paid no attention with everyone else screaming throughout the large historical home.

* * *

Gordon's Scare

* * *

"Nice of Scott to let me fly Thunderbird One to San Francisco, California so we could visit the United States' most extravagant haunted house, huh, Gordo?" Alan said, proudly sitting in the pilot's seat, looking official and checking his instruments twice as often as he really needed to.

"Yeah Alan, sure, but why this Halloween? You've never expressed interest in haunted houses before." Gordon said, taking the first bite out of his third celery crunch bar.

"Remember that girl I met when we were in San Francisco for that earthquake rescue?"

"No, I don't remember any girl you met," Gordon said amused, then leaned back, thinking." I remember all three girls that I met."

"Her name is Lisa. She has red hair and big blue eyes." said Alan, "She's dreamy." Alan sighed.

His older brother chuckled, "Oh man you got it bad, but what does that have to do with you wanting to travel all this way to a fake haunted house?"

"Because she invited us. She is working it and said she would be the "Girl Trapped Under a Ramp and Being Electrocuted."

"Long title," Gordon said, dropping another wrapper on Thunderbird One's floor. "If she's working, you two won't get to see much of each other."

"It's after she gets off work," said Alan, smartly, then waggled his eyebrows mischeviously. "I bet she can find a friend for you if you want to double date."

"Blind date?!" Gordon spit out Celery Crunch crumbs.

"Yeah - I mean you know girls like strong men to protect them from haunted house scares."

"A blind date on Halloween? What if she's in costume? I would have no idea what I'm 'gettin' under there!" said the aquanaut, shuddering. "It could be a monster, a mummy or worse of all - I know you would think it great fun to dress up a guy as a girl for me! No way I'm going on a blind date on Halloween!"

"Fine, then you better just stay here and clean up the mess you made in Scott's Thunderbird. He really will kill you if he sees what you've done over there." Alan said smugly as he landed the plane.

Gordon, seeing the mess he made, jumped out of the seat and ran after Alan. "Now that you mention it - maybe it would be fun to have a date tonight…"

* * *

A Call for Rescue

* * *

On Thunderbird Five, John had been reading but slid down and got comfortable for a nap only minutes before a sudden and loud call for help came through.

He sat up when he heard it. "Aw man… just when I was almost asleep," he said as EOS ran on her track to his bedroom area. She projected the holographic representation of a frightened young man.

"Aaaah! My girlfriend is missing - she went into the haunted house at the corner of Mockingbird Lane and Friday Street, in London and never came out!" said the raven-haired man, who looked at first glance not old enough to even be in a haunted house without a guardian.

"It's a haunted house - maybe she's just enjoying herself," John said sleepily, smoothing his bed-head. Not one to take part in the Halloween festivities on Earth he had been perfectly happy reading and taking a nap on the otherwise quiet evening, a few nights before the big night.

The young man shook his head. "No way - She was not enjoying herself! I came out two hours ago! Something happened to her! I know it! That was the freakiest place I've ever been!"

"I understand that you're scared - it is Halloween, but International Rescue responds when no one else can. You should call your local police first." John couldn't help but roll his eyes a little.

"I did - They laughed at me!" the man said, hiccupping.

John was sure he was trying not to cry, but he also had to take into consideration it might have been a prank call.

He gave a sympathetic smile. "Sorry young man, we are - ...hold please," John switched frequencies, "Yes Kayo?"

Kayo's smiling face lit up his room. She said, "It's okay John, I'll go check it out."

"Really, Kayo?" John said, raising his eyebrow in disbelief. "You want to go?"

"Sure, the kid would get a blast out of it if even one of us shows up and I love a good haunted house," she said sincerely. "Scott let Alan and Gordon go to a haunted house all the way in California for fun. It's my turn."

"What if it's a prank?" he suggested.

"I'll be ready - as I always am," she said with a knowing glint in her eye.

"Alright," John agreed, switching frequencies, "Good news Sir, we have an agent on the way to help you find your friend."

"That's awesome! I don't know how I could ever thank you - I'm so worried about her," said the man, the sincerity sounded so genuine that John believed that it really wasn't just a prank to get an IR selfie.

"What is your friend's name?"

"Oh, her name is Morticia!"

The astronaut blinked and turned. "Did you hear that Kayo?" John asked on her frequency.

She laughed softly, "FAB, I'm afraid to ask what her last name might be!"

"Ten to One, its either 'Munster' or 'Addams.' Have fun Kayo."

"FAB!" Kayo was suited up and taking off from Tracy Island's cliffside in seconds.

* * *

Kayo's Halloween

* * *

After an uneventful flight, Kayo landed Thunderbird Shadow in the middle of the street in front of the large haunted house.

A classic double-decker bus out for the festivities had to go around and beeped their horn. The haunted house goers thought the big dark plane that landed on two legs like a big bird was part of the show and cheered.

Kayo waved as she jumped down. She was dressed in a variation of her uniform, and all black suit, to blend in better in the haunted house and avoid curious onlookers.

The young man ran forward from the other onlookers and cried, "You're here! Thank you! I still haven't seen Morticia!" said Herman, wringing his hands.

"You have to be the one who called in." Kayo looked the 20-year-old over. "But you are older than I thought you'd be."

The man didn't seem to hear her comment as he continued. "What if someone kidnapped her? Or she fainted or something - No one would ever find her in the dark inside that place."

"Did you tell them that you thought she was missing? They can turn on the lights and help you find her," Kayo asked.

"No, I didn't think of that. I just ran out." Herman said, embarrassed. "I couldn't find her or call her so I panicked."

"Let's go in and find her together." Kayo said, "I'll buy." She started to jog toward the house but had to stop and wait for the man.

"You want me to go back in there?" The man said, his voice shaking and his finger shook when he pointed at the entrance.

"Sure you need to stay with me - I might need backup," Kayo suggested, smiling gently at the anxious young man.

"Well, if you put it that way. My name's Herman."

"I'm Kayo. Well Herman, let's go find your girl." Kayo smiled. She was looking forward to going through the haunted house. She just hoped that they wouldn't find his girlfriend with a different boy somewhere inside.

Kayo bought their tickets and handed Herman his as they entered. A tall, thin man with long grey fuzzy hair and a hump on his back stood near the entrance and greeted them.

"Welcome to the House of Fright. If you have any problems with strobe lights, smoke or have a known heart condition, please do not enter. Black lights…"

Kayo walked by the greeter while he was still talking. She pulled Herman along behind her by his hand.

Right in the entryway where the coat closet was, a candle moved sliding from one end of a narrow table to the other. There was a mirror behind it on the wall covered in cobwebs.

It looked like a mirror, but Kayo noticed that no one had a reflection. First smoke and then a hologram of a scary face appeared in the mirror - appearing to be moving toward them from a long way off.

She laughed softly when Herman jumped. "That's pretty awesome. This haunted house has some great effects. Do you know who organized it?"

Clinging closely to Kayo's back Herman said, "No, I have no idea who came up with this crazy place."

They were walking under black sheets suspended over their heads and now and then, what appeared to be a bunch of rodents ran around over their heads on the sheets. With a black light above them it made their bodies glow and cast shadows.

"I've never seen glowing rats before!" Herman said ducking with his head covered.

They entered the room full of snakes again, and he jumped when someone grabbed his ankle. Feeling a tap on her shoe, Kayo chose to put on her helmet. She turned on the thermal scanner, and found it was people on the floor grabbing at their feet.

Kayo continued to walk calmly, standing up straight. "What did you expect to find in a haunted house?" she said, confused. "Is this your first one?"

"Yeah, I mean, I don't know - Guys wearing sheets pretending to be ghosts? Why are we doing the tour again? We have to find Morticia!"

"We're taking the tour to retrace your steps. As we go through, you try to remember everything you did and where you were, okay?"

"I'll try," said Herman, nervously looking around.

After a few turns, he pulled on Kayo's hand to make her stop and said, "Right here, I remember this hallway was the last place I saw her. I stopped. I pulled this part of the curtain back to show her there was nothing there. But there was something there! A vampire! She screamed and ran away - I did too, but she outran me."

Kayo pulled the curtain back suddenly. Herman yelled and covered his head as he stepped back clear to the wall behind them.

"Herman, there's nothing here," Kayo said, giggling softly.

"There was before! Maybe this isn't the right place."

"Well, just in case it is, you stay here for a moment let me go ahead alone."

"Are you sure?" he said nervously, not wanting the stronger willed International Rescue agent to leave him alone.

"That's what you did, right? You said that she went ahead of you."

"Yeah, I guess." Herman reluctantly agreed. He looked very small standing in the center of the hallway all hunched up with his elbows pulled in tightly to his sides.

"We'll be alright - we want to find out what happened to Morticia, right?" Kayo started to walk away from him but had to pause for several children dressed as aliens to go on through.

Not wanting to be there alone, he started to follow her. She had a sense that he would try to follow and paused, and showed him her palm. "Stay there," she reminded him, not turning around.

Herman stopped, and Kayo continued. She walked along, patting the curtains. She found the Vampire in another 10 feet. The actor gave it his best, but she smiled at him and covered him back up with his curtain.

Hearing the vampire's confused grunt he didn't scare her, Kayo flashed a grin and continued on.

Herman was close enough to see what happened and looked down at his shoes embarrassed.

In a short distance, the hallway ahead was too dark for Herman to still be able to see Kayo, with her black hair and wearing all black.

Herman started to go back out through the entrance but decided to wait instead. He paced nervously in the hallway as a group of four girls dressed as Girl Scouts passed him, giggling.

"This is so dumb, but I better do what that lady from International Rescue says. Boy she is tough." Herman said. He decided to stay where he was, though he hoped no monster would come by to scare him into moving forward.

The Girl Scouts hurried past Kayo too nearing the end of the hallway. After they disappeared to right, Kayo vaguely saw someone all dressed in black moving around.

She again put on her helmet, and scanned ahead. "Definately one person hovering around down there. And two ways out of this hallway. Another hallway to the right, and a room with a stairway going down to the left… interesting." She took her helmet off and hung it back on her hip.

Kayo found herself at the end of the hallway, with only one way to go, the door to her left. She peeked behind the curtain and saw more lights and activity down the hallway. But the door to the left was inviting her to enter.

The creaky door opened before her, revealing the same dark room that Morticia had seen. Kayo sensed that there was still someone standing nearby, between the curtain and the wall. She wasn't surprised when a strong arm grabbed her around the waist. Kayo struggled slightly but sensed movement to her right in her line of sight and quietly inhaled.

She felt a strong hand cover her mouth with a small wet cloth in its palm. Kayo inwardly sighed in relief that she took a breath and held it before she inhaled any of the chloroform.

Struggling slightly to keep up the ruse, Kayo could tell that it was a man holding her, he hesitated a moment in the hallway, drawing back the curtain on the right side and closing the curtain over the door he would take Kayo through to hide it again.

Apparently this guy is sending young women a different direction in this haunted house. I wonder why? She thought. Realizing the creep might be getting suspicious, still holding her breath, she pretended to pass out.

She stayed limp in the attacker's arms, intending for him to take her to the same place that he took Morticia.

He took his hand away and dropped the small sedative-soaked cloth. Happy to breathe again, she cracked one eye open every few feet and only saw darkness.

When they came to the stairway going down that she had seen in her scans it was hard for her not to tense up as her heels bounced down as she was dragged, but she did it. She could tell without opening her eyes that the room they had entered had dim lights on, probably candles she reasoned.

She stayed relaxed and limp as her would-be captor stood her up against something cold and metal.

She felt him take her helmet off of her belt and heard it hit the floor. He lifted her arm to snap a cuff around her wrist, and she came to life.

The man grunted in surprise as she removed her arm from his grasp. Using both hands she grabbed the top of the contraption for leverage and kicked with both feet.

Her captor fell back into a coffin with a grunt. Kayo ran forward and gave him a boost the rest of the way inside with her foot.

She slammed the top closed and fastened it with him pounding on the sides, demanding to be let out.

"Your turn for a rest," she said, smiling briefly as she looked around.

The thing he'd tried to put her into was vaguely human-body shaped like a narrow cage with handcuffs at the top.

"A gibbet? How Medieval." Kayo thought picking up her helmet and putting it on her head. She heard muffled whimpering and looked behind some wooden crates, to see several human figures all dressed in costume.

"Wax figures?" Kayo mumbled, but looking closely, the female figure on the 'rack' was moving and making soft sounds behind a gag.

"Oh my – You must be Morticia!" Kayo ran to her and used her laser-cutter from her belt to release her hands and feet from the iron cuffs. She stiffly pulled her hands in over her chest and drew her knees up before rolling onto her side. Kayo pulled the gag off and took the cloth from inside her mouth when she opened.

"Are you hurt?" Kayo asked.

"No, I don't think so, just sore from being laid out on this thing for hours!" said Morticia, grabbing Kayo's shoulder in panic. "That guy! That guy is crazy! Where is he? We have to get out of here!"

"He's having a time-out in that coffin over there," Kayo said gently, vaguely waving in that direction.

"Are you sure that you're alright? I can get medics down here to get you out on a gurney."

"No, whatever he drugged me with wore off a long time ago. I am sore and a little sick to my stomach, but I can walk - I can run to get out of here!"

"I know someone who is anxious to see you!" Kayo said, smiling.

"Herman?" she said, beaming.

"Yes, just sit still for a minute though. I need to make sure that you're alright." Kayo said with a smile and tapped her wrist. "Thunderbird Five, this is Shadow."

"How's the haunted house, Kayo?" John answered.

"Just fine - found Morticia, and bad guy in custody – send the GDF would you? I have a couple of young lovers to reunite."

"Of course Kayo! You mean there actually was something going on there?" John said, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. EOS was getting the GDF on the line for him.

"Yes, a creep chloroformed her and chained her to a fake 'rack'" said Kayo. "The fool tried to kidnap me the same way too."

"Were you drugged?" asked John, concerned for his sister.

"No, I held my breath. He however is now resting in peace - not literally, but in a coffin."

"Poor guy. Will it take him long to recover from his encounter with you?" John asked, teasing.

"Not long, I think. It depends on how tough he is." she said. "It might be a long time before he tries to sneak up on a girl again. Morticia said she feels alright, but I'm sending you a scan to be sure."

"FAB, Kayo."

Kayo used her helmet to medically scan Morticia's vital signs with the sensors in her helmet. She sent the data to John.

"Morticia still has trace amounts of the chloroform in her system, but is uninjured," he said as he looked at the scan. Frowning he added, "She is dehydrated. Get her some water and keep her warm, Kayo. I'll let the GDF they may have a patient when they get there."

"FAB," Kayo confirmed.

"I can get water up front, I want to get out of here," said Morticia stubbornly.

Kayo suggested she rest, but Morticia refused and got up. She walked as though she was sore but determined to leave, she walked anyway.

Kayo shrugged and just walked with her until they saw Herman ahead, waiting where Kayo had told him to.

Morticia actually ran ahead. "HERMAN!"

He in turn looked up and smiled broadly. "MORTICIA!"

The couple cried to each other in greeting when they met in the hallway. Dracula opened his curtain and watched the reunited pair. He decided to leave the two alone, having overheard the conversation earlier.

While they answered each other's questions and made sure they were both alright, Kayo slipped out and silently lifted off in Shadow to head back to Tracy Island. "This has started out to be a great Halloween!" she said to herself, then contacted Thunderbird Five saying she was returning home.

The GDF landed, and four officers ran inside without paying, much to the greeter's unhappiness. His attitude changed when they told him what was going on.

He called someone on the radio and all the lights came on, the actors came out of their hiding places to see what was happening. The visitors were led to the exits, and when some complained about the no refunds policy, the mansion promised that they could get back inside without being charged again when the emergency was over. Morticia told the officers where to find their 'suspect.'

On the way back to Tracy Island, Kayo dictated a report and sent it to GDF headquarters.

Late into the night, Scott and Brains were in Brains' lab and heard loud voices coming from Thunderbird One's hangar. They walked out to see what was going on, and found Gordon and Alan arguing.

"Sounds like you two had fun," said scott as he walked toward them.

Gordon saw their eldest brother before Alan did and cried hysterically, "It was great! You should have seen Alan. I think he wet his pants!" Gordon laughed.

"I did not - check if you want to!" Alan argued and gestured toward his pants. "That mummy grabbed me! I didn't think they were allowed to touch us!"

"Who do you know that can make a mummy follow the rules?" Gordon teased.

"I bet Kayo could! Anyway - I know it wasn't real!" Alan said, clenching his fists in anger, he insisted, "It just surprised me."

"After seeing you pee your pants, it would be hard to make me believe that!" said Gordon, smirking.

"I did not! Oh yeah - I've never seen you freak out so much or scream so loudly as when you entered the room full of spiders! You almost fainted like a girl!" Alan yelled back. He was heading to the showers to take his gear off and get cleaned up for bed.

"Shut-up," Gordon's voice went up and down and had a sing-song quality to his tone.

Alan ignored the warning tone in his brother's voice and turned around. "Yeah - you nearly did a girly faint afterward." he said, taunting.

The aquanaut glared and started to charge, but was stopped by a sharp whistle. "Gordon-Alan!" Scott interrupted, warningly.

Scott said it to break his youngest brothers up before they wound up in a wrestling match on the floor of the hanger. Seeing the two pause and look at him, Scott continued. "It sounds like the two of you had fun, overall."

"Gordon had fun - laughing at me." Alan conceded, yelling from the shower room in the lab. "Lisa won't ever want to see me again!"

"Who's Lisa?" Scott asked. Gordon answered, "He hoped she'd be his girlfriend – but he really shouldn't have put her between himself and that Frankenstein!" Gordon snickered after he said it.

"I heard that Gordon!" Alan yelled before he stormed off to the shower. He started the water running to avoid any more taunts.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

A Tangled Web 2

By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction

I don't own anything or anyone.

* * *

Space was still and quiet except for one space station. Thunderbird Five was just returning to its orbit after a mission of its own. John went alone to assist a crew installing a satellite halfway around the world from Five's usual position.

During his mission, John continued to monitor for Alan, who had Thunderbird Three in space helping the GDF with another space sine. Having his little brother out with another of those old, unpredictable mines made him nervous.

He also kept an eye on Scott, busy with a mountain rescue. It was his first rescue after he was injured in a forest fire that almost cost him his life.

Virgil and Gordon were on Tracy Island but were keeping an eye on a blizzard situation in Belgium.

Just as John returned to synchronous orbit with the Island, Virgil made the decision to go rather than wait to be called by the local authorities.

John expertly pulled the station into position and stopped Five's thrusters.

He pretended to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Phew EOS, thank you for guiding me in to fix that Satellite and then the engineer's transport ship. Those guys were really stuck out there."

"It's my pleasure, John," EOS said casually.

John continued, "I'm glad I didn't have to interrupt Brains on his vacation at the hadron collider. It's good you were along. That way I didn't have to take him away from Moffie." John grinned.

EOS' circle of lights lit up around her lens, signaling John 'confusion.' "I don't fully understand why, whenever someone mentions Brains and that female scientist Moffie, that they smile so big." she said analytically. "Gordon even laughs out loud."

The astronaut chuckled, "You might never understand it fully EOS, we humans are weird."

"You can say that again," said EOS.

"There! You are sounding more and more human, EOS," John said, gently patting EOS camera box.

"Not to change the subject John, but I think I see a problem near the Antarctic."

"Let me see." Floating effortlessly, John turned and used his hand to pull an orange flashing icon over in front of himself with a topographical representation of the area.

"Whoa, this is weird. Only a caution right now, but Thunderbird Five's sensors are picking up something unusual in the Southern Ocean. This could turn into a major problem." said John as he hit another icon. "Thunderbird One, this is Thunderbird Five, come in please."

* * *

Anomaly is detected by TB5

* * *

"What is it, Thunderbird Five?" Scott answered, panting to try and catch his breath. He sounded impatient that a call was coming in right then, even from John.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but we might have a situation, Scott."

"Nyach!" Scott cried, "Hold on!"

"I'm holding - but don't keep me long," John answered frowning at his icons.

"I didn't mean you, John - What is it?" Scott growled without meaning to.

"It's a weird, hot spot in the Southern Ocean, in Antarctica."

"You might have found a problem, John - but I'm experiencing a real problem right now!" Scott argued. "I'm hanging on the side of a cliff with a college student who just passed out in my arms, halfway back to Thunderbird One. He panicked and nearly dragged us both into the canyon below!"

"I see that - I told you to take Gordon with you!" John floated back a little and crossed his arms over his chest.

"My legs would have been plenty strong enough if I didn't have to use my feet to help catch this idiot!" Scott retorted back.

"Should you be talking like that in front of him? I don't think you'd want to spread it around that you're still recovering from a serious injury." John cautioned.

"No, but I know he's out cold. We're okay - I just have to get him up to Thunderbird One." Scott said, breathing heavily.

John did a scan of the area. "It looks like there's room to lower One? Then you could just slide down the cable with him."

"Oh, duh John - thanks." Scott reached around his victim, in a bear hug in his arms and tapped his wrist activating a small three-D representation of Thunderbird One.

"Back to my problem - I know you're busy, but this could be important!"

"Sorry Thunderbird Five, I know it's important - I'm just a little busy right now. Can you call Virgil?"

"I think he's on his way to a resort area experiencing an unexpected blizzard with Gordon."

"FAB, if he's piloting Thunderbird Two, he can talk easier than I can right now. Sorry, John."

"FAB," John answered, closing the comm and switching to Virgil's frequency right away.

"Thunderbird Two, this is Thunderbird Five."

"Hello John, this is Thunderbird Two on this bright and sunny day - except in Belgium, which is why we're on our way through this beautiful blue sky and over these beautiful blue waves," Virgil answered with a sing-song quality to his voice.

The normally serious John did a double take at the tone, but continued, "What is your status, Two? Other than being way too cheery."

"On the launch pad at Tracy Island, we decided to go check out that blizzard in Belgium."

"Had anyone called for help yet?"

"No, but we think it's only a matter of time, John," Gordon answered from his seat as Virgil rolled the big green plane out to launch.

"Right, no," John stammered, a bit out of character, "I agree they will probably need help at least in the mountain resort areas. I called to see if I can borrow Gordon for a side trip."

"If you promise to return him undamaged, I think he'll agree, John." Virgil tapped some buttons over his head and flipped a switch.

"Sure, what do you need?" Gordon asked, smiling at Virgil's comment.

"Change your course a little to pass over the Atlantic Ocean south of the Magallanes Region in southernmost Chile."

"Really? That's more than a 'little' course change. What could be wrong there?" Virgil asked.

"I'm not sure anything is wrong, except the ocean is boiling… and turning yellow. Brains said we better check it out. Scans show that the water in the area is being poisoned."

"Does Brains think its volcanic activity, maybe volcanic gasses poisoning the water?" Gordon asked, his eyebrow rose.

"I can't tell from here. Thunderbird Five's scans show us the problem, but not what made it."

"What did Scott say?" Virgil said, scratching his chin.

"He told me to call you. Scott is still busy with the college students' hiking trip. He's having a bit of a time with it and his injury."

"Shoot. I knew it was too soon for him to go out alone! Where's Alan?" Virgil said, suddenly serious.

"Alan is in space helping the GDF recover another space mine."

"Understood. I'll dump Gordon off at the trouble spot near Antarctica."

* * *

A few minutes later, Gordon was still talking, but from inside Thunderbird Four.

"Hey Bro, can you at least slow down a little? Thunderbird Four won't fit in Brains' RAD, and it's not on board now, right?"

"No, lucky for you." Virgil smiled gently, still thinking about Scott.

"Thunderbird Five," Gordon began, "maybe when Scott gets finished, he can come pick me up on cables, and we can both go help in Belgium if Virgil needs u...AAAAH!"

As Thunderbird Four fell out of the Container Door, Gordon grabbed his sub's steering and pushed her nose down. The yellow sub fell toward the waves. "Virgil! You promised you'd let me know before you did that agaaaain!" Thunderbird Four hit the water and only skipped once before Gordon got his sub under the waves.

"FAB Bro, but it's just too much fun! You did much better that time." said the pilot, chuckling over the comm.

"Just wait until we're someplace where I can 'drop you off,' Virg!"

"All right you two," John ordered, "Gordon be careful - and stay in touch!"

"That sounds good, John."

"I'm off to Belgium. Our trip to Antártica Chilena only delayed us 33 minutes, and no one from the area has called for assistance yet. John, should I stay in this area for a while to see if Gordon needs help?"

"Beep-Beep! International rescue! We need help!" A voice came through John's Command Module.

"Sorry Thunderbird Two, you're getting a call from Belgium now," he said, shrugging.

"FAB - Well I guess I'm off, see you soon Thunderbird Four."

"You bet, Virg - FAB."

* * *

Dangerzone

* * *

John checked and double-checked his scans of the area where Gordon had gone. He had a bad feeling. EOS boosted the scans, and still, he couldn't gather enough data to tell him what was going on. After waiting impatiently as long as he could, John called Gordon.

"Thunderbird Five to Thunderbird Four. Are you in the danger zone, Gordon?"

"Almost Thunderbird Five. Before Virgil flew off, he gave me the coordinates. My scanners show some heat rising there, from deep in the ocean - also trace bits of radiation. But it's not hot enough to make the water boil." Gordon reported checking the data flowing across in front of his sub's windshield.

"Thunderbird Five's instruments aren't even that accurate right now. There is some kind of interference at your location."

"Could be Thunderbird Five. I'll let you know."

"FAB," said John, thinking. "Gordon? Trace amounts of radiation would be normal in a volcanic eruption. If it is volcanic, maybe you can use the missiles on Thunderbird Four to punch several smaller holes over a wide area to vent the heat and lava slowly."

"FAB John. That might keep a huge eruption and explosion from destroying more life in this area."

"People are living in the area, too. A few hundred scattered throughout the Antarctic and the southernmost tip of South America. Evacuation might prove difficult and take longer than we have."

"FAB, John - I'll call back when I have a plan."

* * *

Gordon pulled Thunderbird Four into the area.

Grinning, he continued deeper until his instruments showed he was at a depth of 12,000 feet. "The water is yellow down here - almost a dirty orange color in Thunderbird Four's lights."

"You must be in the right spot. Be careful."

"FAB." The aquanaut saw a large rock jumping up and down ahead as bubbles escaped around it, but his readings didn't show the water to be near the boiling temperature. "That's weird. But hey, maybe that would be a great place to shove a missile. I'll just move the biggest rocks out of the way so I can get it in deeper." Gordon thought, wearing a mischievous grin on his face. He did enjoy blowing things up, almost as much as Virgil did.

Gordon positioned Thunderbird Four's grasping arms to grab the rock in a mechanical bearhug. When he was ready, he began to lift and roll the rock, as big as his sub, sideways. A thick layer of coral and algae moved with it, and the pressure underneath was released all at once.

"Whoops!" Gordon cried as Thunderbird Four was flipped sideways end over end.

"Aaaah!" Gordon cried in frustration. He was unable to tell up from down in the murky yellow water for almost 4o seconds.

"John, Thunderbird Five, come in please!"

"You can't be finished already - what's wrong Thunderbird Four?"

"I'm just going for a little ride!" Gordon cried, "Lifting that rock was like opening a can of soda after it's been shaken up!"

"Are you alright?" John asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I about got it - firing forward thrusters…" Gordon reported. The little yellow sub stabilized. "Phew! That was a ride I don't want to go on again."

"What happened Thunderbird Four?"

"I moved a rock to look under it, and it exploded - but the water and temperature readings were all cool, so it wasn't heated anywhere near boiling. It must have been gas or chemical." While Gordon finished his report, he pushed buttons and pushed a lever up and down.

"We'll scan for that up here, are you able to continue, Thunderbird Four?"

"FAB, Thunderbird Four's arms and harpoon launchers have been disabled. I have to go EVA to see what's wrong." said Gordon, getting up to put on his Exosuit. "If I have to, I'll put the missiles in manually and use timers to set them off."

"Maybe you better wait for Virgil?" John asked, sounding worried.

"He can't come down here - Thunderbird Two can't swim," Gordon said.

"He could advise you at least!" John answered.

"If I need advice I'll contact him where he is."

"FAB," John sighed, reluctantly agreeing with his hard-headed little brother.

* * *

Gordon fastened his helmet in place and rolled back his pilot's seat. Thunderbird Four smoothly deposited him in the water.

Pulling the dive jet from its place under Thunderbird Four's belly, Gordon took it back over to the bubbling hole that had been under the rock. A steady stream of bubbles still flowed trying to suck him up with him. He used the dive jet to stay stable while he collected a sample of the bubbles and surrounding water.

"I have a sample. Hopefully, it will tell us what gas this is. At this point I don't think blowing anything up will help." said Gordon, sadly. "There are dead fish and other sea life all over the place. Even the scavengers that are coming to clean up are dying. Everything down here is out of balance."

"FAB Gordon. Send me the results from your sample, and I'll bring Brains in to help analyze the data."

"FAB," Gordon answered and let the dive jet pull him back to Thunderbird Four. Once inside the put the sample tube in the analyzer and began moving Thunderbird Four to another stream of bubbles he saw ahead, about a 100 feet from the first vent.

As he got closer, shapes began to be visible through the murky water. It suddenly dawned on Gordon what he was looking at, "John! This is amazing!"

"What is it, Gordon?"

"It's a sunken ship! A huge thing! I have to check it out!"

"Stay on task Thunderbird Four."

"It is on task - kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Yeah, more bubbles are rising from inside or under this wreck, that there were in the rocks. Can your scanners pick it up?"

"No, there is still interference - I can't even detect your life signs or location and nothing deeper than you are," said John, growing more worried.

"I heard something down here, John - from the external microphones."

"Wait, down there?"

"Yeah! And it's not just bubbles. There can't be anything else big enough down here to make such a racket. Some kind of sea life must have survived." Gordon guessed.

"Can you patch it through?"

"Sure - here it comes," Gordon changed a switches position and tapped three buttons on his console, "and I'm going EVA!"

"Wait Gordon - we should gather more data first - The first figures are only getting to Brains now."

"Whatever it is, I have to see this ship!" Gordon excitedly moved Thunderbird Four over the ship and settled in close over its deck. His sub sat lengthwise between two broken masts, the sails long since decayed. The ship was at least twenty times longer than the yellow sub. The hatch was directly above the old ship's hatch, and Gordon swam straight down once back in his deep water diving suit and out of his sub.

"Gordon! You nut! What are you doing down there? The water is obviously poisoned, and we don't know with what!" John yelled when it seemed like he lost contact with his little brother. "Come back up to the surface!"

"Oh, is Scott here already?" Gordon teased.

"No," John admitted. "I want you back in your sub and coming up!"

"Even if I was up there right now, how am I supposed to get to Virgil's location?"

"That's not the point! I just want you out of there! What if there's an earthquake or something else happens? What if your suit is compromised? We barely have scans - what if we lose the comms too?"

"We won't - I just have to find out what's going on down here! Sheesh, John, to be so nervous is not becoming on you."

"Fine, Gordon. Just don't make me come down there after you." John said, "I thought it was just a little volcanic activity that could be vented. We still don't know what's going on down there and you don't even have Virgil close by for back up!"

"You coming down here after me is the scariest though out of everything you just said." said Gordon, snarked.

John laughed, mockingly, "Ha-Ha! Funny Gordo. Just stay in touch."

"You're with me - I'll be fine."

"FAB - Just see that you stay that way," John said.

* * *

Too many eyes to count watched Gordon come below decks. Not everyone inside had eyes, but those that didn't, sensed his presence, his scent in the water.

Gordon swam through a doorway heading for the ship's aft section. He found himself in a large cargo section. The walls and floors were made of metal here, and he heard the loud skittering sounds again. "Thunderbird Five, can you still hear me?" Gordon whispered. "There's something down here with me - maybe a lot of somethings."

"I hear you Gordon - Get out of there! We can find out what it is later!" John hung in the silence after he spoke waiting for any signal from Gordon.

"I can't - the sound is all around me!" Gordon whispered. He switched the lights on his helmet to the 'high' position just in time to see what was making the noise.

A swarm of pale dinner-plate-sized sea spiders with flashing neon yellow knee joints charged him. "Oh, crud!" Gordon yelled and turned to swim back out, but there were hoards of them coming at him from behind too.

"John! John! I'm surrounded! What do I do!"

"Surrounded by what? Gordon come in! Talk to me!"

"Ah-Ah-Ooh!" Gordon tried hard not to scream into the comm but couldn't form words either. Hundreds of the sea spiders swam up to him from the floor, walls and even down from the ceiling using an 'umbrella pulsing motion.'

He had no safe place to swim to as the spiders started to gather on him.

"International Rescue! Gordon's in trouble!" John called on all of their frequencies and changed the setting so everyone could hear the call.

"No," Virgil groaned. He was wearing his power suit and digging tourists out of an avalanche. He'd found four at that point, but the ski resort estimated at least 10 people were missing.

Scott was dropping off his patient at the hospital. "Where is he? I can be on my way in seconds!"

"Stand down Scott - there's nothing you can do - Gordon is deep sea diving. Only Thunderbird Four can go as deep as he is now and the water around him is poisoned.

"Poisoned? What's going on?" Scott yelled.

"Stand by, Scott." John paused listening for Gordon he heard his brother screaming.

He had lost the battle, screaming at the top of his lungs. Even in the water, the weight of the spiders began to drag him down to the deck, back inside the cargo compartment. He was swimming as hard as he could, and soon, his own feet clanked against the metal floor as he tried to keep moving toward the exit.

John tried to talk to him, "Gordon, what is your situation? ...Answer me!" They all waited, breathlessly for Gordon to answer, any word other than hearing him scream would have been at least a little reassuring.

A thousand tiny feet poked at him, covering his suit. Forcing his arm to move, and still screaming into the comm, he managed to knock the sea spiders off of his face shield. With great effort, he found words, "No! John they're trying to smother me!" He barely got the words out of his mouth when they covered his helmet, including his faceplate again so he couldn't see. His arm was covered again, and he was starting to feel weak. He hadn't been fighting hard, but he'd been fighting long.

"John! They've got me! Can sea spiders chew through a dive suit?"

"Brains!" John yelled into the comm.

"I heard John - No sea spiders can't chew - they feed only on predigested or decaying food from other sea life through a tiny proboscis."

"These aren't tiny! NO PART of these things is TINY!" Gordon yelled back growing more panicked. Every inch of his skin was crawling. All he could see out of his face mask was spider legs interwoven like a mat. The site was nothing compared to the spider room at the haunted house.

"Gordon, I can hear you breathing! Calm down - you're going to hyperventilate." Virgil warned.

"I-I-I can't - Move!" Gordon cried between shallow fast breaths, "What if I can't - what if they chew through my suit? Aaaaah! Help!"

"You have to calm down! You know everyone is at least an hour away!" John reminded him.

"They will have eaten me by then. I'm so sorry guys - If I never see you again..."

"Gordon - NO! Don't talk like that - you're very frightened now. Calm down, take deep breaths." Virgil answered.

"John - send me Gordon's coordinates! I have to at least get on my way to him!" Scott ordered.

The astronaut quickly pushed a series of keys sending coordinates to his brother. "Okay Scott, there you go." Scott took off from London, and as soon as he was in the sky, he shot toward the Antarctic.

If someone had been in the cargo hold with Gordon, they couldn't have seen him. He was completely covered, buried four-feet deep in plate-sized spiders with yellow jointed legs that matched his diving suit. Thousands of them were all trying to find a way inside his suit and more were on their way.

Brains was viewing Gordon's vital signs on a monitor. He frowned when he also looked at the aquanaut's air tanks.

"John," Brains said calmly, "Gordon's oxygen won't last long the way he's breathing. He has to calm down for there to be a chance his oxygen will last until someone can get to him."

"Isn't there a way he can get himself out of this?"

"He's panicking right now. I'm not sure he'll be able to follow our instructions," said Brains, then he pointed out, "His oxygen will last longer if he passes out."

The astronaut paled, realizing what the engineer had just suggested. "No! There has to be another way." John said, "Gordon can you move at all?"

Silence filled the space. "Gordon?!" John tried again.

Brains interrupted, "Maybe he's already fainted."

"I haven't fainted - I'm just trying to calm down." said Gordon quietly. "I haven't felt any of them bite me yet."

"Again, they can't bite you, Gordon. Even though they are rather large, they will still only have a proboscis to feed through."

There was a brief pause, then a yelp. "What on Earth is a proboscis?" Gordon screamed.

"It's just a tube - like the straw you use in your soda." Brains answered calmly.

"Oh - that is better than teeth." Gordon exhaled, calming down.

"Good Gordon - it sounds like you're calming down," Scott said.

Brains spoke next. "Gordon, can you reach the controls for your suit? The jet you wear on your back should be able to propel you away from them."

"Yeah - Yeah, whatever." Gordon panted. "I feel the controls, but I can't see - they're all over my helmet. I don't know which direction to go." Gordon said sounding exasperated.

"Can't you pull your arm out and push them off?" Alan who had been listening quietly then spoke urgently.

"I can't these things are holding on tightly - I feel like I'm wrapped in a net!"

"Stay calm and don't give up Bro!" Virgil said, "You'll be okay - Go slow and keep your head down. Let the jet bump into the wall, and let it slide across until you come back to the opening."

"Wearing this spider suit? I can't!" Gordon cried, his voice shook.

"Don't give up before you try!" Scott said.

"Exactly. The spiders will cling to you as long as they can but will fall off as you go. They are not that fast," Brains assured him.

"They don't need to be fast - there are thousands of them between me and getting out of here."

"Just get started." John encouraged.

"FAB," said Gordon nervously, and thumbed the controls for his jet pack.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3

A Tangled Web 3  
By Crystalquirt  
Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction  
I don't own anything or anyone.

* * *

In flight, pushing Thunderbird One as fast as she'd go, Scott gripped his controls so tightly that his fingers hurt. But he wasn't even aware of it. "I have to get there before I can figure out how to help! John! How is Gordon?"

"Suffering from extreme stress," was John's simple answer.

"Have the radiation levels changed?" Scott asked.

"No, still only trace amounts. Gordon is working his way around the cargo hold trying to find a way out," said John, running a hand through his hair in worry. "Or I hope he is. He's scared Scott."

"I know he is. Do you think he can he get himself out of there?"

"I don't know. He may need some help. What is your ETA?"

"Only sixteen minutes, Thunderbird Five."

"I'll let Gordon know. That may make him feel better."

"I'm on my way back to Earth too now, John." Alan called in.

"Good, go straight to Gordon's coordinates. You may need your deep water exo suit too, Alan," said John.

"Sure, I've had it on board my ship since Gordon and I went to Europa and rescued the Pendergasts."

"FAB," John said, switching frequencies. "How are you doing Gordon?"

"I'm getting tired, I never thought spiders would be so heavy underwater." Panting and having chest pains by then, Gordon guided the dive jet he wore on his back to propel himself slowly down the wall.

The yellow dive jet that Brains made as part of his deep water dive suit stuck up a little farther than the top of Gordon's helmet. He let the jet that he wore on his back bounce and rub along surfaces to help him find his way while he couldn't see out of his helmet.

Pushing his way along slowly, he had managed to get out from under the largest pile of sea spiders. Still there were sea spiders hanging onto his dive suit six or seven deep and they were pulled along with him. Gordon's thumb suddenly slipped from the jet's control. He stopped and sunk to the floor. "Oh - I can't do this! My chest hurts, I...can barely… breath. Sorry guys," he said, bordering on exhaustion.

"No! Gordon! You have to keep trying!" John begged.

Gordon wasn't listening to him, closing his eyes and expecting to go to his fate.

A Siren's voice did beckon - but did not beckon him to his doom.

"Yes! Gordon - I will not have you giving up!" A feminine voice interrupted.

Gordon opened his eyes again when he heard Lady Penelope's voice in his helmet. "Hey, Lady P. is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me - John said you were having a bit of trouble with some bugs." she said with a smile in her voice.

"I… I - bugs haha," Gordon chuckled softly. He switched the jet back on and it pushed him against the wall and he started slowly sliding along again.

"Do I need to come down in my 'pink submarine' and dig you out of trouble again?" asked Lady Penelope.

"No – I'm trying - I got this," said Gordon with renewed energy.

More sea spiders fell when he started to move. The simple creatures were figuring out that they weren't going to get anything to eat from the big blue and yellow fish that had swam among them.

After a short while Lady Penelope called again, "Gordon, can you still hear me?" she said, "I will not have you giving up on us! Do you hear me?"

"I… hear you." Gordon said barely above a whisper. "I found... the door, I think. I should be back out in the hold now."

"Good Gordon. Can you move your arms? Clear your face shield!" Virgil asked, holding his breath while he waited for an answer.

"Trying…" Gordon gritted his teeth and with a tearing sensation, got his arm out as he sank to the deck again. "Oh! My arm is free... but I think I just tore my suit!"

"No - Gordon are you sure?" Brains asked, looking at John's concerned holographic face.

Gordon pulled his arm up and making an 'icky' face, as gently as he could, pulled sea spiders from his face shield. He was a little surprised to find his helmet lights were still on. He sure couldn't see any light before he moved the thick layer of sea spiders. He looked down the rest of his body and legs and saw most of the remaining sea spiders crawling or swimming away.

He exhaled loudly and let his head rest on the deck. He was mostly on his side, the dive jet on his back keeping him from rolling over.

"Gordon! Report - Are you okay? - Is your suit compromised?" Virgil called urgently.

"No Virgil, suit's okay or I'd be wet in here. I'm afraid I hurt some of the sea creatures though," Gordon said tiredly. He may have hated spiders, but he hated harming any creature more.

"FAB - It couldn't be helped, little Bro." Virgil said, smiling.

"I'm directly over your location Gordon," Scott said, "Can you make it back to Thunderbird Four on your own?"

"Yeah, I just need a minute… to breathe."

In Thunderbird Three, Alan frowned at how faint Gordon's voice was. "Do not pass out down there Gordon!" Alan warned. "I'm almost there if you want some help!"

Gordon had his eyes closed trying to wish the pain he felt in his chest away. "John, can you scan me yet? Why does my chest hurt?"

"Sorry Gordon I can't detect you at all - Scott, can you use Thunderbird One's sensors to relay data to me?"

"I'm still looking for him, Thunderbird Five. I'm not picking anything up either - Brains what could be blocking our scans?"

"Unknown at this time. Difficult to tell without more data." answered Brains.

* * *

Without waiting for orders and as soon as Alan landed Thunderbird Three on the nearest land to Gordon's location, he put on his red deep water exo suit. Leaving Thunderbird Three he slipped and slid across the ice and half dove - half fell into the icy water. Underwater he pushed his red dive jet as fast as she'd go.

"Alan, where are you? Why did you land?" John asked, though already pretty sure of where his little brother was.

"I couldn't wait - I'm on my way down to find Gordon." Alan reported, swimming as hard as he could in addition to being propelled by his dive jet. He felt a ping on his wrist and then saw a holographic image. "There! I'm picking up Thunderbird Four's signal straight ahead. The water sure is nasty looking down here. I bet it stinks."

"FAB, but Alan, you should have waited to see if you were needed - Now you're swimming in that muck with Gordon and we still don't know what caused it." Scott scolded.

"Actually we do," Brains interrupted, startling the brothers. "Forgive the delay, but Gordon's immediate safety became a priority. I've analyzed the data from the water and gas sample that Gordon took from the vent."

"What does is show Brains?" Scott asked, looking for Gordon's and Alan's signals on his scanners.

"A lot of bacteria. Pseudonymous Fluorescens to be precise." Brains said, repositioning his glasses as he stared at his tablet. " There is also a lot of nitrogen, and sulfur dioxide. Nothing unknown, but you don't want to go swimming in it with holes in your suit."

"So they will be okay?" John asked for verification.

"Of course John, they should be fine. To be sure, they can both decontaminate when they get back on board their Thunderbirds," said the engineer. "The high concentration of Pseudonymous Fluorescens usually only affects saltwater aquarium fish. But in this case, seems to be in such a high quantity in this one area that it is killing fish and growing, killing more fish and the decaying fish is polluting the whole area."

"Is there any way to clean it up?" Virgil asked, concerned.

"We can distribute water treatment capsules that I am preparing now, but we will have to know what started all this to keep it from starting all over again," Brains said.

Alan suddenly yelled into the comm, "I see Thunderbird Four, and the sunken ship!" making John wince at the volume of his little brother's voice.

"Easy Alan. Watch for the sea spiders or they'll come for you too." John said.

"No sweat, I"m not afraid of land spiders, let alone stupid sea spiders! Gordon's the chicken!"

"Don't say that Alan," Scott said sternly. "Gordon is in serious trouble - you can tease him when he can tease back - for now, get him out of there!"

Gordon heard Scott scold Alan and in spite of his current situation and the pain he felt, he smiled.

"Fine! Er, FAB," Alan answered, chagrined. He shut off his dive jet and drifted under Thunderbird Four where he found the old ship's hatch. Lighting the way were the lights on his diving helmet.

"Gordon? Can you hear me?" called Alan. Gordon's soft answer was music to his ears.

"Yeah, I hear you, but I think I still have a thousand plate-sized spiders trying to drown me."

"You have got to be exaggerating!" said Alan.

"This is real Alan, believe me or they might get you too," said Gordon, seeing Alan's suit lights nearing.

Alan saw his brother lying below deck, just outside of the room where the spiders attacked. There were a few still hanging on Gordon's body and legs. Alan scoffed at the sight thinking the spiders too few to have scared Gordon so badly. "Common Gordo, let's get you out of here."

"So you can tease me later?" Gordon groaned. "Fine. Tease me - but don't let them get me again!"

"I didn't mean it! I thought it was funny that you were scared of them in the haunted house and then, now… well you know. I had no idea that you were this scared."

Alan let his dive jet bring him down to a near-kneeling position next to Gordon and he slipped his hand under his brother's arm to help him rise from the deck. With his other hand, he touched each of the few remaining sea spiders making them crawl or swim from his brother's body.

Alan couldn't help but chuckle when he saw how easily the spiders would run away.

"Funny," Gordon whispered when he heard his little brother laugh. "Just get me out of here - my chest really does hurt. It hurts just to move my arms."

The astronaut cleared his throat, growing serious. "We'll hurry and get you up where John can do his medical scans - I'm sure you'll be fine though. You're chest pains are probably from stress, but John can make sure. I know you had a scare." Alan had just repositioned himself to hold onto Gordon as they got ready to go up, when he heard millions of faint tapping sounds on wood that meant the sea spiders were coming back.

"No…" Gordon started breathing fast again and tried to force his arms and legs to swim - fast. Alan didn't know what it was until he looked around and his helmet lights caught the cause of the sounds in their beams.

"Aah! Gordon! Those? Let's Go!" Alan pulled Gordon's arm across his shoulders and swam up, engaging his dive jet for speed. He kicked two sea spiders off of his feet when they tried to hitch a ride.

"Gordon, I'm sorry!" Alan said, regretting his teasing. "Those things are huge! I mean, all legs, but huge! And there really are thousands!"

"See? Oh, ow - grnn." Gordon groaned.

Alan quickly got his brother up and inside Thunderbird Four and closed the hatch before swimming spiders got to the sub.

* * *

They both fell to Thunderbird Four's floor as Alan sincerely apologized. "I'm sorry Gordon! Really – I had no idea! I'll never tease you again." promised Alan. He threw off his dive jet and helmet and rode the pilot's seat inside the cockpit.

Gordon mumbled, "He'll forget his promise, but it was nice to hear an apology."

On the floor near the hatch, Gordon fell over on his side, breathing and holding his chest like he was really suffering. Alan set Thunderbird Four to rise to the surface on auto pilot and returned to Gordon as quickly as he could.

"What's wrong?" he asked, quickly pulling his brother's helmet off.

Gordon wheezed, "I think I was... out of air."

"No, the gauge shows that you still had a quarter of the full volume. Alan said when he checked. He rested his hand on Gordon's back while he caught his breath. "Try to take slow, deep breaths."

"F… A… B…" said Gordon between gasps.

Alan tapped his comm button, "I have him John, and everyone. Were back on board Thunderbird Four. Thunderbird One, can you pull us up when we surface?"

"I'm coming down instead," Scott said. "I'll take care of Gordon while you pilot Four home – And John, complete medical scans on Gordon as soon as you can read his signal."

"Understood, Scott," said John.

"What about One and Three?" Alan asked, worried about his ship.

"John, can you remote pilot them home?" Scott asked.

"Yes, I've already gained access to both machines and am sending the commands."

"FAB, John," said Scott. He was already hanging below Thunderbird One. He stood in front of his lowered pilot's seat when Thunderbird Four surfaced. He immediately shot a grapple connected to One down to Four's roof and executed a controlled slide down to land on the roof. As soon as he released the grapple cable, John had his plane heading for Tracy Island.

Scott jumped down to the thruster to wait for the aft hatch doors to open for him. Inside he found Alan sitting on the floor with Gordon, helping him hold an oxygen mask over his face.

"I'll help Gordon, Alan - get us heading home." ordered Scott, taking his helmet off and painfully sitting with the aquanaut.

Alan let Scott take over administering oxygen and nodded.

Scott continued, "And Virgil said he's ready to leave Belgium. He said that if he can, he'll met us and pick us up to get us home faster."

"Which way do I need to go?" asked Alan.

The pilot had another thought, "Thunderbird Five, can you compute our course and the expected location to meet up and let Alan know?"

"FAB," John answered as Alan went to the cockpit.

"What about this… situation here?" Gordon asked, sounding exhausted.

"Will be back. We need to re-group." Scott said looking at Gordon's pale complexion.

"We can help now," said Gordon, starting to get up.

Groaning, Scott stood up and helped Gordon the rest of the way to his feet when he tried to stand up. The oxygen mask fell to the floor.

John heard an alert from EOS and looked at the ongoing medical scans. "Thunderbird Four, Scott! Gordon's BP is dropping."

"Gordon?" Scott asked, turning in alarm.

Gordon seemed dizzy, swaying as he looked up at Scott. His eyes lost focus as his legs collapsed out from underneath him.

Scott caught him as he fell, just in time for Gordon to pass out in his arms.

"Ahhgnnn!" He groaned through his teeth as he strained to keep Gordon from hitting the floor, and going with him. His still healing leg muscles were causing him great discomfort but he pushed through the pain, and whining through his teeth, he pushed and lifted Gordon up into an open dry pod.

"Oh no, not again," said Scott, pained.

"What's wrong Scott?" asked Alan, concerned for both brothers now.

"Gordon is the second person today to look at me and pass out, Gordon?!" Scott shook him gently. "Can-you-hear-me?"

"Do you need me back there, Scott? I can put it on Autopilot for a while." Alan asked, ready to assist.

"No, but I'll call you if I need to." Scott gently shook Gordon's shoulders again with no response. "John what's wrong with him? - it can't be his heart – can it!?"

"It looks like he just fainted, Scott," said John. "The scare is over, so the adrenaline in his system dropped, then his blood pressure fell when he stood up. But it's leveling off."

"John," said Alan, "Gordon said his chest hurt - Are you sure it's not his heart is it?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Alan. Both of you stop worrying. According to medical scans, Gordon's heart is fine. The pain he felt was from the intense stress he experienced for so long without being able to escape."

"Yeah," Scott said quietly, "I guess I know that feeling."

Scott stretched his legs, wincing. It had only been a few months after the backs of Scott's legs were seriously burned, and while they had healed, they still ached.

In addition, the day he already had in the mountains his legs felt weak and he struggled a bit getting Gordon into the dry tube.

He left the lid open since Gordon wasn't going anywhere, but adjusted the heat to be a little warmer in the pod.

John looked at the monitor. "Scott, elevate Gordon's feet slightly," he said. "He should recover in a couple of minutes - most."

"FAB," Scott looked into Gordon's face, worried. He kept his hand on his little brother's chest. Feeling his heartbeat made Scott feel a little better.

After a long few minutes, Gordon groaned softly and began to regain consciousness. Scott looked at his face and saw that color was returning to his cheeks. "Hey Gordon, can you talk to me?" asked Scott.

Gordon nodded sleepily, but didn't open his eyes or say anything. Scott wasn't sure he understood his question.

"As soon as you feel able - when your blood pressure goes back up, we can talk about what happened and what to do next."

Gordon nodded.

"Do you think you can drink some water? It'll help you recover faster."

Gordon nodded again, this time a bit firmly.

Smiling, Scott got him a bottle of water from the locker, opened it and after lifting his brother's head up slightly, put the top to Gordon's lips to take a sip.

Some of the cool water spilled and helped Gordon wake up some more. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up to drink. Scott helped him sit up on the dry tube bed and watched his brother gulp the water down quickly.

"More?" Gordon asked. Scott rested his hand on Gordon's chest. He could feel his brother's heart rate still beating very fast. "Wait a couple of minutes for more water. You might get sick if you drink so much so fast." said Scott gently.

Gordon grew more alert, and started to remember what had happened. "No! I have to get up - we have to go back." Gordon said urgently. He grabbed his brother's arms to be sure he paid attention.

"Easy Gordon, rest a while," Scott said, easing him back to the cot.

"I feel fine Scott… "

Seeing his second youngest try to get up again, he held his brother down on on the dry pod's cushion. "Humor me bro - we don't need you falling out on us again."

The aquanaut glowered. "We can't rest - I know what, or who is down there!"

"Too many sea spiders?" Alan answered over the comm, showing he was listening to their every word.

Gordon blinked his eyes to fight off slight dizziness, but continued, "Not them, Alan! Before the sea spiders covered my helmet - I saw the logo on the metal crates - the same one The Mechanic uses!"

Scott and John looked at each others holograms, skeptical. "Concussion?" mouthed the pilot. John looked at the scan and shook his head.

"I didn't hit my head," said Gordon. "I know what I saw."

"The Mechanic is down there? And you were down there alone... again... Gordo?" Virgil said regretfully. "I'm sorry."

"You couldn't have known." Scott said. "Gordon will be fine, Virgil."

"This time," Virgil said.

"Scott- Scott," Gordon repeated like he didn't realize that Scott was standing right next to him.

Scott noticed his little brother's dizzy countenance and leaned over the pod. "I'm right here Gordon. Can you see me?"

"I can now," Gordon smiled, blinked looking up at Scott. He rubbed his eyes, embarrassed as he realized what all had happened. "Oh man, I did a girly faint after all."

"No, you fainted because you were stressed and exhausted." responded Scott with a smile. "John said you'll be okay though,"

"But Scott - the Mechanic is doing something down there. About the time I saw the sea spiders - I saw the logos on the metal crates and wondered why inside an old shipwreck there were metal walls and floor. I'm sure I saw another, modern hatch going below that ship - under the sea bed!"

Gordon pleaded, "We have to go back now and stop whatever he's doing before he hurts the environment more!"

"Not until you feel better," said Scott, still not sure about Gordon's story. Seeing his brother wince and cover his chest with both hands, he leaned forward. "Gordon?"

Gordon took a deep breath and groaned. "No, I'm not going to be okay," he said, remembering the suit issue. "I'm in major trouble here! Do something!"

Scott said, "John, can you run another medical scan on Gordon, he's not feeling well."

John quirked an eyebrow and did another scan.

Scott however kept calm as he talked to his brother. "What's wrong now?" he said gently.

"My chest hurts - It feels like I'm going to have a big huge spider force it's way out of my chest," he said, wincing in pain. "Kill it before it rips me in half!"

"Spider come out of your chest? ...Gordo, your chest hurts from the stress you were under for so long… John said there is nothing wrong with you."

"No... I'm doomed. One of them got me and while I was out, put their eggs in me to have one hatch," he moaned.

Scott glanced at John's hologram appearing over his wrist, catching the reference. "'Aliens?'"

John shook his head, chuckling. "Gordon, you're not going to have a spider come out of you. a. the spiders can't bite you, b. you were out briefly because you fainted. The spiders didn't drug you," he said, laughing a bit harder. "You watch far too many horror movies."

"So I'm not going to have a spider burst out of my chest?" he said, and both brothers, near and far shook their heads.

"No - but John, I'm sure can do a pregnancy scan if you're that worried," kidded Scott. The aquanaut however, cuffed the back of his head. "OK, I get it..."

John chuckled at the exchange, but then grew serious. We do need to check you out though, Gordon," he said. "The Mechanic will have to wait."

Gordon, seeing the brother's looks, reluctantly nodded. "FAB."

Scott switched to Alan's frequency. "Alan take us toward Thunderbird Two's present location as fast as you can!" he ordered. "Don't worry Gordon, we will stop The Mechanic!"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .


	4. Chapter 4

A Tangled Web 4

By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction

* * *

I don't own anything or anyone.

At home on Tracy Island, the family gathered in the control room to debrief.

"I have to go back down there! If only to distribute the capsules containing Brains cure for the water pollution," Gordon said urgently, sitting on a sofa with Virgil. Brains had examined the aquanaut and found he sustained no broken ribs or other injuries that would ground him.

"We will, but we should let the GDF investigate to find out about and clean up any criminal activity first," argued Scott, using a walking cane to pace in front of the sofas.

Virgil noticed Gordon rub his sternum and wince, "Gordo, does your chest still hurt?" he asked, frowning.

"Not like it did, just feels like sore muscles now," Gordon answered and then spoke to Brains, sitting with Grandma Tracy. "Brains, how long until your cure for the bacteria is ready?"

"It's ready now, but I don't recommend that you go back down there even to distribute the cure," said Brains. "It seems that the sea spiders are not affected by the bacteria, and have even thrived, on the decaying fish to scavenge. I've never heard of them gathered in such numbers in one place."

"Oh boy. Sea spiders." Gordon mumbled and paled slightly.

"Gordo? Are you alright?" Scott answered, not missing the unsteady sound of his brother's voice.

Virgil turned to look at him, also concerned.

"I'm okay, I just thought about all those sea spiders." Gordon shuddered.

Virgil frowned deeply at Gordon's greying complexion. "Maybe you should lie back down," he suggested, standing up. The middle brother tried to pick up Gordon's legs to put them on the sofa where he had been sitting.

But Gordon refused, "No, really Virgil - I'm fine."

MAX rolled up to Virgil and handed him a wet washcloth. "Thanks, MAX."

The robot put his 'eye' right up to Gordon's head and stared at him trying to analyze Gordon's "malfunction."

When Gordon saw him, he startled. "Oh, MAX!" he gasped, paling further.

"Come here MAX," Brains called quietly. He whispered something to the robot and MAX left the room.

"Why don't we try this?" said Virgil. He held the folded washcloth to his aquanaut brother's forehead for only a moment before Gordon moved his hand away.

Still, Gordon looked pale and put his hand up to his head.

Virgil gave in sitting beside his brother. "Then at least put your head between your knees for a moment." he said, concerned. "You look like you're about to pass out again."

"Faint," Alan corrected. "Girly faint."

Gordon turned to retort, but felt the world spin a little. He then felt gentle pressure on the back of his neck from his brother's hand, bending him forward to put his head between his knees.

"Easy there bro, take deep breaths," said Virgil, glaring at his youngest brother.

After a few moments, the younger man sat up and also gave Alan a dark look. "You promised not to tease me anymore," Gordon said with renewed strength.

"But it's just so easy! I can't help it!" Alan cried, grinning.

"Yes, you can Alan," muttered Virgil, checking Gordon's pulse to see if it had improved.

"I'm feeling better Virgil," the aquanaut said, brushing off his brother's hand. Gordon leaned back against the sofa cushions, exhaling loudly. "He's right though. Those sea spiders will still be down there. Still gathered in that sunken ship - turned Mechanic garage. We have to know what he's doing down there - and I should be the one to do it, but I can't do it if I faint."

"Alan isn't right, you won't pass out again," Scott said, glaring at Alan, who grinned a slightly smaller grin.

"Yeah, right - just the thought of them makes me dizzy," said Gordon.

"Gordo, you were just caught off guard, surprised and you panicked a little." Virgil tried to console him.

"I had a reason to though - I also saw the Mechanic's logo in that cargo hold."

Virgil shook his head, "Honestly, with everything going on, I doubt you even saw The Mechanic's logo. Add your phobia, being trapped under water - it all turned into a big nightmare for you." he said. "We almost lost you the last time you ran into the Mechanic on that deep sea rescue. It could be your imagination..."

"But I know what I saw…"

"Maybe we can know for sure." Brains said, watching MAX return with Gordon's helmet. The robot rolled up to Brains and he took the helmet out of MAX's mechanical grasp.

"Let's see if the helmet recorded what Gordon last saw." Brains took a small chip from a port on the inside front of the diving helmet where the recording data would be stored. He put the tiny card into a matching reader on the control panel and pushed a button.

Above the console, a still image of what Gordon saw in the deep murky water appeared and Brains pushed 'play.'

The video showed Gordon's point of view as he searched the cargo hold. His strong helmet lights cut through the murky water, and they could all see that the room instead of being made of wood, was indeed made of metal.

"Most of the ship seems to be from the 1800s, except, for this metal room." Brains observed. "Look there," he pointed, pausing the video.

"That looks like a hatch, a modern metal, computer controlled hatch leading someplace under the sea bed," Virgil observed.

Brains let the video play on, and when Gordon looked up from the hatch floor, hundreds of sea spiders could be seen coming for him.

The view changed to view even more spiders pouring into the room from behind. Gordon, sitting on the sofa by Virgil, looked down, hoping no one would notice that he wasn't watching the recording anymore.

Even Alan held his breath and leaned back,"Whoa, Gordo," he said sympathetically. "I really didn't know it was that bad… I wouldn't be teasing you if I knew."

Gordon scoffed. "Yeah, it was that bad," he said, deciding not to bother reminding Alan of his promise.

Virgil interrupted, "Wait, Brains, stop the video and back it up a little."

Brains did what he suggested, and pushed 'play slow speed.' As Gordon turned to look behind his helmet, lights flashed over a logo on the metal crates stacked in the room.

"So you did see it," Scott surmised.

"Yeah, it looks like The Mechanic really is down there," John said, watching and listening from Thunderbird Five.

"That settles it!" Scott said, "We are not going back down there until the GDF takes care of the Mechanic! We are not the police, and I don't want any of you taking the risk."

Kayo, who had been watching from Thunderbird Shadow volunteered, "I'll call the GDF and work with them to clean up The Mechanic situation, while you prepare to clean up the ocean."

"FAB Kayo - don't take any risks - let the GDF handle it!" Scott said, not really happy that his sister wanted to help the GDF on this one.

However, he sighed when he saw the icon that was Shadow still heading toward Antarctica.

"Come on MAX," Brains called, "Let's go load the antibacterial agent capsules into Thunderbird Four."

No one noticed Gordon's shudder as he watched Brains leave to prepare his sub.

As the video verified, under the wrecked ship from the 18th century was new construction.

A big new addition was carefully camouflaged by the remains of a sunken ship and natural sand and rock on the seabed.

After Gordon and Alan left in Thunderbird Four, large mechanical sea spiders, complete with long, sharp, metal proboscises tucked up under their bodies were pulling and pushing the cargo down into the hatch.

From there, other worker mechas took them into a structure deep under the seabed. The Mechanic stood at the controls, instructing his mecha to bring the cargo down to him.

"I can't believe that International Rescue brat found my cargo transfer area!" The Mechanic growled, glaring at his 3D screens. He watched his mechanical sea spiders working. "If only I had my newest mecha, sea spider mecha, completed before International Rescue showed up. They will be faster stronger and 1000 times more lethal than real spiders."

The Mechanic held a long, sharp, tapered tube in his hands, rolling it as though looking for flaws. "That particular IR brat and his yellow Thunderbird have been in my way before."

"I thought I took care of him when I ripped his puny yellow sub in half with my superior technology."

Finally, The Mechanic threatened where only his mecha could hear, "I will take care of him and his brothers good this time - Something that The Hood was too weak to accomplish!"

The Mechanic had his mecha workers unpack six more mecha sea spiders on his workbenches lined up in the center of the room - only these were unlike the others. He was installing the material that could unroll from their 'legs' like fins and propel them through the water faster using the umbrella pulsing motion, mimicking the real sea spiders.

Also, copying the living sea spider features, he was installing the long tapered tubes with surgically precise sharp points at the ends. These tubes were longer and sharper than the ones on the first drones he built- the worker drones.

Those drones used the proboscis to suck up and eject out in the ocean the waste produced by the power he was generating to work on his bigger project. The workers could also build other worker drones without the participation of their master, The Mechanic.

The six drones they worked on now under his direct supervision were to be warrior drones, and he took great joy in making them with the Tracy family in mind, especially the aquanaut.

The Mechanic worked through the night to get all six new mechas ready. He gave them glowing red eyes and made them gunmetal in color. That dark, bluish metal color of vintage pistols he so admired for its cold, cruel look. He inserted the lever into the panel he wore on his arm and shifted position of just one control.

All six warrior mecha rolled over and stood up on eight thin, long, and sharp at the ends, legs. Like the workers, these drones were all legs except for a small center body, just large enough for the eight long, thin legs to join together with the heavy end of the proboscis on a jointed slip ring to allow movement, and hollow throughout to suck in or deliver any kind of liquid any time needed. He went down the assembly line himself and filled each drone's reservoir that fed into the proboscis. He filled each, with a lethal poison that he'd formulated himself, with Gordon in mind.

Satisfied with his work, he sent them out to patrol around the sunken ship entrance. The Mechanic went back to his other project.

Multiple engines, working individually were spewing oil and other chemicals on the floor, and several of the worker drones were busy sucking it up through their proboscis. In the middle of the room, a base the size of a small delivery truck stood, with what looked vaguely like a telescopic camera lens coming out of the top.

The Mechanic surveyed his work, check some data on a large holoscreen and said, "It's time for a test."

Global One, commanded by Captain Ridley O'Bannon, was just moving around the southern hemisphere. She and her crew were taking readings for a group of Nobel prize-winning scientists studying the environment. They were planning to use Global One's sensors and other technology, including drones sent to the Earth's surface to gather samples for the scientists to study.

Government officials decided once and for all that their findings would be conclusive evidence of whether or not Global warming was becoming a problem.

Even Global One's scanners, and sensors, both less powerful than Thunderbird Five's, found the anomaly in the ocean just off of Antarctica.

"Bring us into synchronous orbit with the area," Captain Ridley ordered. She stood without her helmet and hood, on the bridge. Per Global One dress code she had perfectly cut and combed short hair. "Get ready to launch the Probe."

The round, silver orb left Global one's launch tube and shot toward the ocean's surface, right in the middle of the yellow area on their screens.

When the heated orb a little larger than a basketball hit the water, steam rose briefly.

The Mechanic was watching the probe. Smiling. "Looks like the warrior drones will have their first test."

The drone sunk into the water to the seabed, sucking in samples for the scientists on board Global One. It landed in the brownish yellow sand and scooped up a sample of that too. The tiny red and yellow lights around the top of the probe turned green.

The Probe's little engines powered up, and it lifted off, but it didn't get very far when it was suddenly knocked sideways. A sea spider mecha, much larger than the probe hit it broadside, trapping it in a cage made of long thin, metal legs.

With its victim trapped, the spider mecha plunged his long proboscis through the center of the probe, passing all the way through. The little engine quit and it sunk to the sea floor, leaking air as the mecha sea spider retracted its weapon. No longer scanning movement, the mecha swam umbrella pulsing style back to the sunken ship.

On Global one the communications officer reported to Ridley, "Captain, we've lost contact with the Probe." The officer, a brunette sat at the communication station. She turned her seat around to face Ridley.

"Why? What happened to it?" Ridley asked.

"Not determined, Sir. It just stopped transmitting."

"Play back the last video data you received," Ridley ordered.

"Aye, Sir," The officer tapped a quick series of buttons.

The holo viewer mounted to the arm of the captain's chair lit up and showed a murky yellow, green haze, just before several long metallic objects appeared on the screen. The images changed like the probe had been rolled over, and then went black.

"That's not good. Something human-made just did something very bad to our probe."

"Captain, before it lost transmitting it showed us that something very bad is happening to the ecosystem down there," one of the scientists spoke up. "The water is cloudy - thick and all the sea life we could see was dead and decaying."

"Yes, I noticed," Ridley said and then opened a comm. International Rescue, this is Global One calling."

John startled out of his thoughts about Gordon and answered. "Yes, um, Global One. How can I help you?"

"I'm not sure you can. But I thought I'd call it in just in case it is up your alley."

"We have a lot of 'alleys,' Ridley. Give it a shot." John said a little absentmindedly as he listened in to his family on Tracy Island.

"We're here, over the South Sea near Antarctica, and the ocean environment is in bad shape."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we are aware of that situation. Brains is working on a remedy that we'll be able to deploy soon."

"Oh good." Ridley said thoughtfully, "Did you also know that something down there, made of metal, destroyed our probe when we sent it down to take water samples?"

John frowned in concern. "No, we didn't know that, but by chance, we are working on that too. Gordon found out the Mechanic is involved." he said. "It will take a little while for my brother to recover from his trip down there to investigate, but we are going back as soon as possible."

Ridley wondered how the aquanaut found out, but continued. "You'll have to tell me later what happened. We're reading high energy outputs from below us somewhere, offshore."

A yell from a Global One crewman interrupted, "Captain! Some just fired a…"

"BLAM!"

The station lurched and rocked violently. Sparks flew from every panel on the bridge. Three people on the bridge were knocked out of their seats and were unconscious before they hit the floor.

The last thing John heard was Ridley yell, but he couldn't make out what she said or make the comm connection again.

"Ridley!" He called into the comm, "Captain O'Bannon - come in please." John moved his screens around. He quickly found Global One over Antarctica, and he frowned deeply as he looked at the data realizing what it meant.

Global One had been cut in half almost in the center. The aft section with the escape shuttles, solar panels and part of the outer, largest ring in the center had been neatly cut away from the forward section - almost like it was cut surgically from the huge Space Station.

"Oh no!" He cried, "...International Rescue! We have a situation!" John spoke loudly and impatiently into the comm, and his freaked-out image appeared in command on Tracy Island.

Grandma Tracy was busily trying to force feed her cookies to Gordon, trapped on the sofa. He was chewing, very slowly.

Scott, Virgil, and Alan were all still there too. When Virgil moved to let Sally sit next to Gordon with a tray of charbroiled zucchini cookies, he said to Virgil, "Traitor."

Kayo was listening to John's urgent call from Shadow. She'd left to meet with Colonel Casey about the involvement of The Mechanic.

"What is the situation, John?" Scott said.

"It must be bad - you look freaked out," Alan observed.

"It is - Global One has just been destroyed. Something just cut it in half while I was talking with Ridley, er, Captain O'Bannon."

"Whoa," Alan cried, "cut in half? But, how?"

"My guess is a weapon, maybe a laser. Global one was positioned over Antarctica. The same place where Gordon was investigating," said John. "It's clear, The Mechanic has been building himself a new weapon down there."

"No…" Scott groaned. "Can you tell if there are any survivors?"

John was quickly searching through the holographs of the spacecraft to find out. "I believe so. I'm reading life signs. Wait, two of the shuttles have just launched from the aft section. I don't read anyone still on board that section, and it's lost its orbit. It will hit land, in an unpopulated area in the Antarctic."

"What about the forward section and the bridge?" Virgil asked.

"I still read life signs, but they have no shuttles. Their atmosphere is leaking, you'll have to go get them."

"Virgil, Gordon, and Alan ran to gear back up leaving Grandma Tracy with a nearly full tray of cookies. Scott paused. "I guess we're going to have to take care of this after all. I don't like it," he said as he pulled down the light fixtures that lead to his gear up.

Alan launched in Thunderbird Three. Gordon launched with Virgil and pod container number four. Last to leave was Scott in Thunderbird One. He couldn't shake the bad feeling he had, but they had to go try to rescue Global One's crew.

Scott yelled, "Thunderbirds Are Go!"

In less than a minute into his flight, he reported, "Thunderbird One, switching to horizontal flight." He said it more out of habit than necessity.

"FAB, Scott," John answered. "I'm bringing Thunderbird Five into position. ETA sixteen minutes."

"No! John! Don't come anywhere near the danger zone! If The Mechanic really did cripple Global One, Thunderbird Five could be his next target."

"We all could be his next targets," John reasoned.

"You might need Thunderbird Five nearby to bring survivors."

"Come near then, but stay out of range," Scott ordered.

"We don't know what the range is!" John pointed out.

"Look, John, just keep yourself and Thunderbird Five safe - we need you!" said Scott. "We will have our hands full with rescuing the crew from Global One. You will need to let us know if anything else happens."

"I'll keep Thunderbird Five back, if need be I'll bring the exopod in to assist."

"No! Alan can dock with Global One and bring the survivors on board, then do a high altitude hand-off with Thunderbird Two."

"FAB, Scott," John said. "He's right, you know, John?" EOS said, "You're needed here. With all the Thunderbirds and your brothers operating, they will count on you to keep everything together."

John sighed. "Of course, you are right EOS. I just wish I could help a little more hands-on sometimes. Especially when I know, it's going to be rough."

"And because it is Global One and you don't know Captain O'Bannon's status," said EOS, simply. Even though she knew that his reactions to Ridley O'Bannon were similar to Brains and Moffie, she has the logical tact to remain mum.

"You could be right again, EOS," John agreed. "But it's going to be rough for everyone."

Thunderbird Three shot into space and then rocketed to what was left of Global One.

Thunderbird Two first headed to Antarctica to rendezvous with Thunderbird One. Scott would come on board and land One to keep her in reserve. Then Virgil would release Thunderbird Four with Gordon and Scott on board to distribute the cure capsules and do whatever damage they could to the Mechanic's plan while they waited for the GDF and Kayo to arrive.

Thunderbird One was waiting with Scott ready to ride a cable down to Thunderbird Two in the air before they would be released in Thunderbird Four in the water.

Scott came into Thunderbird Two through the roof hatch over the cockpit and greeted Virgil.

"Hey Virg, Gordon ready?"

"Says he is, he's waiting for you on Four." Virgil put a sandwich sized package in Scott's hand. "Here's the present I promised you for The Mechanic."

"Thanks and remember - no dropping Four on the fly this time, okay?" said Scott, paying half of his attention on remotely landing Thunderbird One on the ice.

"FAB, Gordon's already freaked out, I wouldn't want to make it worse for him."

"For him? Right, but I meant it for me! I don't want to be dropped into the ocean if you don't mind." scoffed Scott, though privately he was thankful for Virgil's tact.

"FAB, big brother, I'll try to remember that." Virgil agreed, smiling a little-crooked smile.

Entering Thunderbird Four through the rear hatch again, Scott found Gordon messing with his exosuit, still in the auto gear up assembly.

"You better get in the cockpit, Gordon - Virgil is moving into position."

"FAB, Scott," Gordon said, and moving more slowly than ever sat in the extended pilot's seat.

Before he could slide into the controls, Scott put his hand on Gordon's shoulder and said, "You'll be fine Gordon, You won't be surprised by anything this time, and I'll be with you all the way, right?"

"Right, er, FAB, Scott." Smiling a weak smile, Gordon disappeared into the cockpit.

The ocean's surface bubbled violently 525 feet from Thunderbird Two's location, and Virgil barely had time to look over before a wide beam of light broke the surface and came sideways like a giant sword right at his plane.

"HANG ON!" Virgil yelled and laid the controls hard over to the right. The plane rolled, turning as she went, but the laser still sliced neatly into Thunderbird Two's side behind her left wing. The laser nearly cut off her entire aft section, the two aft VTOL thrusters and the back third of the pod container.

The Thunderbird was only held together by two small points of the heavy frame on one side and the top, but not for Virgil's quick response - his plane would have been cut completely in half.

Bright sunlight from the rear, now open pod container shown inside, at the same time the great green plane shuddered and shook.

"Aaah! What's going on!" Gordon cried as he frantically looked around.

Scott was body slammed by Thunderbird Four's hull and knocked off of his feet. Groaning, he tried to stand to see where the light was coming from but fell again.

They heard Virgil's frantic voice, "Get ready to hit the water!" he said.

"But I told you - no surprises!" Scott yelled, strapping himself into a seat that folded out from the wall.

"Too late - the surprise has already happened! Just hang on!" Virgil yelled back.

With the creaking and twisting of metal, Thunderbird Four slipped out of the damaged pod as if Thunderbird Two had laid a yellow egg. The egg and fell without the pod container and straight down tail first.

Thinking quickly, Gordon fired his emergency launch jets. Easing the fall slightly, they still hit the water hard. "Hold on Scott," Gordon said. He was forced into the back of his seat and his head snapped back. Scott held on tightly to the seat and restraints, but still felt like a rag doll when Four hit the water.

Once in the water, Gordon managed to reach forward enough to shut off the launch jets, or they would have shot out of the water, only to fall again.

"Scott! Are you alright back there?"

"Just fine," Scott said a little sarcastically. He was sore all over, adding to the pain from his earlier rescues.

"Thunderbird Two!" Gordon called again, "What happened? What is your status?!"

Virgil flipped a switch to talk to everyone, "Thunderbird Two is going down!" Then he thought about it, "What's left of her is going down! Two has been heavily damaged!"

"Virgil!" John cried, finding the plane on his scans. "Virgil, can you make it to the ice?"

"I hope so!" Virgil cried, "I don't want to go for a swim in ice water!"

Overcompensating with the two VTOL Thrusters, he had left, Virgil pushed the main thrusters to the maximum too. Thunderbird Two flew with its nose higher than the back end. He hadn't been very high when his ship was struck and had a much longer way to go to make it to the icy shore.

Below the ocean's surface, Thunderbird Four was drifting and slowly sinking as Gordon and Scott listened to Virgil's call.

"John! What's happening up there to Virgil?!" cried Gordon.

"Thunderbird Two has been hit by the laser - but they will manage - You have to stay on task, Thunderbird Four," John said it, but even he didn't completely believe it. He was watching Virgil's severely damaged plane barely staying in the air, as Virgil tried to crash land on the ice instead of in the icy water.

Just before Thunderbird Four gently touched down on the seabed, Gordon took control, steering his ship toward the camouflaged Mechanic's base.

Thunderbird Two's tail section flapped in the breeze as Virgil struggled to keep his plane in the air with a 21-foot long and four-foot wide gash that nearly separated his plane into two equal pieces.

* * *

Trying to keep an ear on Thunderbird Two's situation, Alan docked safely with the part of Global One that was still in orbit.

With no communications, the crew was still aware of Thunderbird Three's arrival just by looking out the windows and had crowded around the airlock. They nearly ran over Alan when the inner hatch opened.

"Wait - Wait! Whoa!" Alan tried to make himself bigger than he was to get their attention. Standing with his arms held out to his sides, the first three people ran past him anyway, but the next few stopped. Keeping the others from running over the smallest member of International Rescue.

"How many of you are injured?"

"We don't know!" The woman closest to him responded unhelpfully.

"Well then, how many survivors?"

"There's us right here." Another person said, not helping.

"FAB,… Okay, walk onto my ship, and wait in the hold where the seats are." he ordered. "Wait for me to come back and be sure we have everyone. Don't touch anything!"

The rest of the crew members who waited there moved to Thunderbird Three in an almost orderly fashion.

Alan stopped the last person briefly and asked, "Where is Captain O'Bannon?"

"I don't know, I… most of the people here were in the forward crew quarters, cafeteria and lab. I haven't seen anyone from the bridge."

"FAB, go on," said Alan. He locked down his Thunderbird in case anyone tried to go anywhere besides the cargo hold.

Scanning ahead of himself for atmosphere and life signs with his helmet and suit equipment, Alan put his helmet on and made his way two levels up to the bridge.

The lifts weren't working, in fact, nothing was working. The comms, the power, and life support were all down and what oxygen and heat that was left were venting slowly into space.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .


	5. Chapter 5

A Tangled Web 5

By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction

I don't own anything or anyone.

* * *

Horror on the bridge

The doors to the bridge opened before Alan, and he stood for a moment, his mouth open in horror. His helmet lights showed him what was happening inside and he nearly went into shock right there.

The bridge crew was down. They were lying all over the place. Some were draped over their chairs or consoles. None were moving - at least not where Alan could see them in the limited light.

The few medics they had were trying to tend to the injured with very little power. The medics themselves were obviously injured too. Alan's helmet lights were providing the only bright light there was.

Alan ran to the first conscious person he saw. "Do you have enough stretchers to get everyone out? We have to hurry!"

"I… I… I don't know," the man answered.

"You must be in shock," Alan guessed and asked hopefully. "But... are you a medic?"

"Yeah," the man said, looking around like he wasn't sure where he was. When he turned his head, Alan gasped at the sight of the side of the man's head, hair soaked and face covered with a lot of blood and debris.

Alan put his hands on the man's shoulders and said, "Sit back. Stay still - do you understand me?" Alan cried, worry showing in his voice.

The man slumped against a console, his chin went to his chest, and he didn't answer.

"Sir…?" Alan tried again and checked his pulse at his neck, but found no sign of life.

He lowered his eyes, not wanting to see the dead man's face. Then he left him to find someone he could help.

Each turn he made his heart sank more and more. "Oh no, no, no," Alan mumbled as he moved around, shining his light becoming more and more upset as he saw what had happened to so many of the people.

He hurriedly tapped his communicator. "Thunderbird Five! Come in! I need you!" Alan cried suddenly, unable to take any more.

"I'm here - what is it, Alan?" said John though a hologram.

"The people - it's horrible! I don't know who to help first!" Alan managed, then whimpered. His lip quivered like he might cry. "If I can help any…"

His astronaut brother heard in his voice how upset he was and said to EOS, "It's too much for Alan alone!" John said as he ran to his gear up. EOS followed him on her track over his head.

"John, this is ill-advised…"

"Scott won't let me bring Thunderbird Five closer, but I'm a tiny target alone - there's no way he can hit me wearing the exo suit, even if his scanners show my flight pattern!"

EOS decided to try some logic, "Are you sure, John? Should you do this? Maybe check again with Scott."

Instead, the red-haired Tracy was already turning in his suit up sequence, allowing the exosuit to be put on. "Everyone, including Scott, have their own problems right now. I have to help Alan." John said as he was shot into space. He pressed the green button on his suit, then into his comm he yelled, "I'm on my way, Alan!"

* * *

Three brave officers, worried about the very young man alone on the damaged station, ventured back inside and up to the bridge looking for him. They each carried emergency ion lanterns that they found on board Three.

Alan kneeled next to Global One's Captain.

"Ridley! Captain Ridley!" he cried as he gently squeezed her shoulders. She groaned softly but didn't wake up.

"Okay, she's alive but out cold…" said Alan, taking his hands off her shoulders. Alan found his hand in her blood and on close inspection, found that it was coming from a wound to the side of her neck.

"Gotta stop that bleeding," Alan said quickly. He found an open medkit that the medic had been using and grabbed all of the gauze and bandage tape.

He cried, "This isn't going to be enough even for her! I'll need to find more!" He was trying to stop the bleeding as he planned his next move out loud." I can't leave her long enough to go get more supplies from Thunderbird Three!"

He was all choked up, and could barely speak when he saw the other three arrive. He couldn't see their faces behind the bright lights they carried, but said, "So much suffering - I can't do this alone."

"It's okay kid - we're here to help!" a woman said. "Let me take a closer look at the Captain."

Alan frowned, a little relieved, but surprised. He moved back without argument when the woman moved in to help Captain O'Bannon. She pulled a field surgery kit out of her uniform pocket and put sterile clamps in the wound to stop the bleeding -right on the spot. Then she finished Alan's bandage on Ridley's neck.

Alan didn't want to watch, but he couldn't look away until the bandage began to go on. Then he snapped out of his shocked state and found another person in need of help, to do what he could.

* * *

Thunderbird Two hit the edge of the ice hard, throwing Virgil forward against his restraints. He gave a pained yelp, hoping he and his ship would stay intact.

Fortunately, his severely damaged plane bounced forward from the edge of the ice instead of falling back into the icy water.

Thunderbird Two's nearly missing tail section whipped to the side, and the plane spun on the ice. Virgil couldn't hold it, and it flipped over onto its top when it hit a ridge and flew back into the air temporarily. The broken plane slid out across the ice, heading inland.

Ice, snow and below-freezing cold blew in around Virgil like he was sitting upside down in a huge green snow globe. He tried to use his thrusters to stop his Thunderbird's slide across the frozen landscape.

Six miles inland from the point it first touched down. Finally, his broken plane hit a huge snowdrift.

The tail section snapped off, with a screeching, twisting metal sound. Virgil's head snapped back, and he nearly passed out with the force.

The torn edges of his ship's middle buried themselves in the snow. Snow and ice were pushed inside like someone filling a big green ice cream cone.

"Ugh…" The pilot held his head for a moment until his senses stopped spinning. Hanging in a most undignified way, he looked back and saw a wall of firmly packed pure white snow right behind him.

"Oh no, I'm going to have to dig my cold weather gear out of the compartments behind all this snow," Virgil said, shivering in the cold. "I hope my pilot's suit can keep me warm enough until I find my cold weather gear."

Flying as fast as his exosuit could take him, John worried about Alan. It was a fast flight, and John didn't try to contact Alan knowing that he'd be there in minutes.

When John arrived at Thunderbird Three's forward hatch, he entered the ship and walked to the rear to get inside Global One.

Passing through the cargo hold the crew crowded around the eldest astronaut wanting to know how long they'd be there or complaining of minor discomforts like headaches, one broken finger, and hunger.

John, knowing his services were better served for those in severe distress, simply showed them the water supply and the bin full of ration bars. He pushed his way through them as quickly as he could and entered the airlock.

Running inside Global One's corridors, he made it to the bridge or what was left of it and looked inside.

* * *

John gasped when he saw what was happening. They, Alan and the others who were conscious had a line of covered dead bodies on one side of the bridge. One man carried someone who was unconscious past John on his way to Thunderbird Three.

John ran onto the bridge finding Alan on the floor under the navigation workstation tending to someone.

"Alan, I'm here -what do you want me to do?" he said, putting his hand on Alan's shoulder. "Oh, John!" his little brother cried and hugged him with one arm. His other arm was busy applying pressure to a bleeding wound.

John gave him a brief hug, but when Alan tried to hold on, he gave him a firm look.

"Come on Alan, quick -" asked John. "What are your orders?"

"My orders?" Alan thought for a moment, then paled slightly. "No - I can't be in charge!"

"It's your mission, and it looks like you've been doing great so far," John said encouragingly.

One of the officers who came closer to help someone else, said in the same positive tone, "He has - He's a great commander and medic!"

Alan shot the guy a surprised look, but just then, there was a small explosion that sounded like it was right under them and the station shuddered as a piece of the outer ring broke away.

That was all that was needed for Alan to jump into action. "We have to get these people out of here. This part of Global One will lose her orbit too. We need five more stretchers!" Alan cried. With renewed confidence, he jumped back on his proverbial horse and started to get things done again.

"The lieutenant is already on your ship - tell him where the stretchers are and he can bring them back with him," a corporal suggested.

The teen nodded and quickly gave the instruction to the corporal, on Thunderbird Three. "Right, and while we wait, get the people who can be moved without a stretcher, out in the hallway," Alan said.

"FAB," John said to Alan, hesitating, "But Alan, have you seen Captain O'Bannon?"

"John - I'm so sorry," said Alan, sadly, not knowing how to tell his brother, "Captain Ridley is over there. She's... bad off." Alan pointed to the center station on the bridge.

John frowned as Alan continued, "Check on her and then try to check to see if any of the controls are still working. We need to make sure that this thing falls back to Earth where it won't hurt anyone."

"FAB again, Alan," John said, any smile that he had for being proud of his little brother was gone. He set his jaw and ran to the middle of the bridge where Ridley fell.

Slowly, he kneeled down next to her. Blood from her neck wound had just begun to soak through her bandage. John grabbed more from the nearest kit and put more layers on. "Ridley, can you hear me?" said John. Getting no response, he turned to Alan, who was still helping someone nearby. "Was she unconscious when you found her?"

His astronaut brother nodded. "She's lost a lot of blood John, but I don't think the artery was cut." Alan said while helping someone with a broken arm to their feet, "She is one of three that need the most urgent care. I'm sorry John."

"No, she'll be okay, they all will - let's just hurry!" said John, leaning forward to pick her up. Rather than wait for the stretchers, John carried Ridley to Thunderbird Three.

Back on Earth, under the sea.

Gordon slammed his fist down on his subs controls, and cried, "Virgil's comms must be out!" said Gordon, after trying unsuccessfully to call his brother for a status report. "We have to go back up and be sure he is okay!"

"No Gordon, we have to stay on task and disable the Mechanic's newest toy before he shoots someone else, like Thunderbird Five or the rest of Global One out of the sky," Scott ordered. "Virgil will be okay - in fact, he might join us if he can't help out in some way with Global One."

"But Scott…" Gordon started to argue, but Scott stopped him. "Gordon, the laser is first. Get us back to that sunken ship!"

"FAB," Gordon said sadly and a little fearfully, but he'd never admit it. He silently moved Thunderbird Four back in position over the deck of the sunken ship.

In the back of Thunderbird Four, Gordon let the auto gear up sequence complete. He wasn't in any hurry to go back inside that sunken ship or facing the Mechanic again. He let the robotic arms, even though they seemed slower than the gear up on Tracy Island, finish putting on his suit.

Scott did the same when it was his turn. His deep water diving suit was mostly blue, with a silver dive jet and helmet.

"Okay, now what are you going to do if you see the sea spiders again, Gordon?"

"Don't worry - I won't panic this time. I know they can't hurt me even if there are a lot of them."

"Right and I'm with you this time," said Scott. "We should be more worried about stopping the Mechanic."

Gordon nodded.

The brothers swam down into the ship, and toward the aft where the modern cargo area was located.

Gordon silently swam with little help from his dive jet. While Scott almost completely depended on it, he still tried swimming using his tired, sore legs, but no more than he had to.

Once inside the room, Gordon whispered, "All the cargo that was here is gone."

"I see," said Scott.

"Oh!" Gordon suddenly cried, as a single sea spider swam across their path.

"Shh! Gordo! It was only one."

"Yeah, okay - but now I think we should be concerned that it was only one," whispered Gordon. "Maybe they're hiding because there is something scarier down here now."

Scott flashed Gordon a look of concern.

But it was too late, long before Gordon cried out. The Mechanic had been watching Thunderbird Four since it approached the sunken ship. Now he watched them enter his cargo hold.

The brothers felt all along the edge of the hatch in the floor. "There is no lever or button. It must be completely computer controlled." Gordon said.

"Right, but I've got this." Scott took his laser cutter from his suit and began to cut around the hatch.

The Mechanic pressed his controller into the socket on his arm controls and brought his warrior sea spider mecha to the brothers.

Scott's head was down, paying attention to what he was cutting.

Gordon was ever watchful for anything that moved, especially anything with legs. Suddenly he whispered, "Scott…"

"Gordon, those sea spiders can't harm you…"

"This may be worse than sea spiders!" Gordon's voice shook.

Scott looked up and saw what Gordon was talking about. Their exit was blocked by three large, dark mecha.

"Okay, that's not good." Scott and Gordon rose up, swimming above the nearly cut open hatch below. "He knows we're here!"

"Maybe they can't swim?"

"I'm pretty sure they can and probably pretty fast," Scott said.

The metal hatch below them only halfway cut open, was suddenly pushed open from below. Another sea spider mecha swam into the area, using the umbrella pulsing motion the real sea spiders used. It was coming right at the brothers.

Scott grabbed Gordon by his arm and pulled him out of the way as it went by. It had been coming too fast to stop, even in the water.

Two mecha remained at the door, leading out and up to Thunderbird Four. The third that had been behind the first two mecha swam over its fellow metal sea spiders and headed toward the brothers with the other one.

"Aahhh!" Gordon put his hands up as the mecha that had him in his sights swam up fast, being afraid, its mere presence pushed him back into the wall.

Scott pushed Gordon from in front of it, but it trapped Scott instead. All eight legs struck the metal wall around his body, like an instant 'cage.'"

Gordon turned to help him but was knocked to the side by the other mechanical spider.

Inside the spider 'cage,' Scott managed to cut one of its legs off with his laser, fortunately still in his hand. There was a short flash of light and bubbles as the leg was separated from the body. The spider leaned into Scott and drew its proboscis out.

The mecha that was chasing after Gordon caught him by his ankle with two of his front feet. Gordon turned and reached toward his ankle to try and get free.

The mecha unfolded its proboscis and tried to stab Gordon in the face. He moved his head barely in time, sliding downward along the wall. At the same time, he brought up his feet and pushed the mecha back. He noticed that the point was very sharp but hollow like a huge half inch across hypodermic needle.

Much faster than any real sea spider, it swam back toward him.

Scott got another leg off of the one that was bothering him.

"Scott, they have very sharp rods under their bodies!"

The pilot looked up and saw the offensive item. In a desperate move, he reached up with the laser and cut the metal spider's proboscis off. Its eyes glowed red, and it began leaking oil, poison, and other fluids into the already polluted water.

It sank to the floor, but there was another sea spider mecha there right away to take its place.

Scott heard Gordon scream again. The mecha he fought had been joined by another, and they had him pinned again. This time his arms were free, but one with a fully extended weapon stood right on top of him.

The metal feet were sharp and uncomfortable on Gordon's body but didn't puncture his skin or diving suit. But Gordon knew that the metal proboscis was sharp enough to really do some damage.

Watching, the Mechanic grinned, thinking the brat that drove the yellow sub would finally be out of his way.

The spider closest to Gordon's head, rose up in the front making room to unfold its long, sharp proboscis and stabbed down with it. Gordon put his hand up in a feeble effort to protect himself and moved his head to the side.

Instead of stabbing him in his face, he was stabbed right through the palm of his hand.

"Aaahgnnnn!" Gordon screamed loudly.

In the murky yellow-green water, Scott couldn't see exactly what had happened to Gordon.

The mecha holding Gordon injected its poison through its proboscis, but since it had passed all the way through Gordon's hand, the poison went into the water, not into Gordon.

Gordon got his legs up again and kicked the second mecha off while he pushed on the leading mecha, trying to pull the steel rod from his hand. "Grrrnnnn!" he cried.

Scott was nearly pinned by his opponent, but using his laser to its fullest, he cut the small body of the thing in half. It sparked and flashed light and bubbled. Oil leaked out as it sank to the floor.

Scott swam to Gordon, in time to cut his last creepy opponent in half as well. He grabbed his scared brother with one arm around his waist and pulled him into a corner, threatening to slice and dice any mecha that came close.

"We can't do this forever - what do we do Scott?" said Gordon tiredly.

They aren't guarding the hatch to below right now - I say we go that way, as we first planned." Scott turned his head to the side slightly talking to Gordon, while at the same time watching the mecha.

"Can I count on you, Gordon?"

The aquanaut cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, no machine scares me! These things are annoying, that's all. Even machines that look like spiders. He said, cradling his hand.

"FAB - Is your hand okay?"

"FAB, it's fine," Gordon said, sounding confident in spite of the tingling pain in his hand.

"Well then - you go first," said Scott. "I'll try to use the laser to keep them off of our tail."

"FAB," Gordon said and engaging his dive jet, swam quickly to the hatch, with Scott right behind him.

Surprised, the mecha scrambled in the wrong direction, thinking their prey would try for the exit instead of deeper into trouble.

The Mechanic growled and changed the settings on his arm guards commanding his 'troops' to attack again.

Thinking quickly, Scott turned back and bent the metal hatch door back in place and switched his laser from cut to weld. He tack-welded the door closed behind them.

That should slow them down a little.

The brothers swam down and back up again through a large round pipe that reminded Gordon of the plumbing under their sinks. Sure enough, it went down and then straight back up, where they came to the surface and found a ladder leading to a brightly lit room. The brothers floated silently in the pipe for a moment, listening.

Hearing nothing, Scott pointed up, meaning for Gordon to go on up the ladder.

Unable to use both hands, Gordon climbed with little help from his injured hand. Once at the top he peeked above the edge of the uncovered passageway and seeing nothing moving, climbed out and stayed low, looking around.

Scott did the same, ending up next to his young brother, who hid his injured hand behind his back. "Where to now?" asked Gordon, whispering.

"We find that giant laser and blow it up."

"How?"

"Virgil gave me a little present when I got on board Thunderbird Two."

"Gosh, I hope he's okay," said Gordon.

"Keep your mind here, little bro," said Scott, "We can't afford any mistakes."

A booming deep voice interrupted the brother's talk. "Your first mistake was coming here! International Rescue!"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .


	6. Chapter 6

A Tangled Web 6

By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction

I don't own anything or anyone.

* * *

On Global One, John tried to get the station to give him a readout, but getting nothing but the occasional burst of static, John frowned and hit the navigation desk with his fist. "Global One's scanners aren't working - nothing is working."

"Well, what do you think, John?" Alan said nervously, losing count as he tried to count someone's pulse manually. The person he'd found was lying under the navigation desk, alive but pinned under some debris.

"What do I think about what?" his brother asked, as there were too many things to think about at that moment.

Alan looked up at his brother and asked, "When this part of Global One goes down will it do damage to anything?" he said, "Is there any way to find out?"

"My suit's comms and systems are tied to Thunderbird Five and our electronics are working perfectly. I show that Global One is going to crash into Antarctica," said the older astronaut, frowning. "Almost exactly over the Mechanic's suspected hidden base and - uncomfortably close to where Thunderbird Two went down."

"Uncomfortably close?" Alan said, forgetting to count at all as two of O'Bannon's officers took over, lifting the victim to a stretcher. "What does that mean?"

Alan jogged around a console to be at his brother's side so he could see what he was looking at.

"See Alan?" John said, pointing at the 3D screen before them. "This part of the station won't burn up on reentry - it will be the same size it is now when it hits the ground," John said sadly - thinking about Virgil in the back of his mind. "It's too well protected with the heat shields. I'm detecting no damage that will help break it up."

"But the systems are already down. How about if we peel the heat shields off of the heaviest end of the station?" Alan asked urgently, "Won't it burn up then?"

"It would help - but there is no way to remove the heat shielding automatically," said John.

"Fine, then I'll take a laser cutter and go out to do it manually." the teen spaceman said.

Alan was already on his way back to Thunderbird Three before he finished speaking.

He was too far away for John to talk to him.

"Laser cutter... Alan?..." Rather than yell, John switched to Alan's personal comm frequency. "Alan - no! Do not go out there!"

"I'll be fine, John - plenty of time - and I don't want this thing to land on Virgil and whatever's left of Thunderbird Two - Even if the chances are one in a million."

"FAB," John said, sounding very worried. "But even if you manage to do it - it will burn up - but not completely. There will be debris spread out over a wide area!"

While John spoke to Alan, he got back into action with the last victim on the bridge, helping carry one end of his stretcher to Thunderbird Three.

"I know John - but smaller debris is better than one giant piece," said Alan. "Try to see if you can contact Virgil so he's ready."

"FAB - Thunderbird Two!" John cried again in desperation, on the way to Thunderbird Three. "Can you read me?!"

There was no answer from Virgil.

"Virgil! I can't read you - and I'm not sure exactly where Thunderbird Two wound up - but if you can - get under something!" John yelled not knowing if his brother could hear him.

"Debris from the largest piece of Global One will be hitting the ground nearby where Thunderbird Five's scanners showed that you probably wound up!"

Silence met his comment.

Still no answer. John sat his end of the stretcher down on Thunderbird Three's deck and whispered, "Crud - Alan is in space cutting that station apart - I should go down on the space elevator and try to find Virgil - I can't stand not knowing!"

Then he tapped his comm. "Alan!" John said, "I'm gonna get to Antarctica before the debris and get Virgil out of there!"

John had already started to have EOS move Five when the younger brother shook his head.

"No! John, you can't! If you move Thunderbird Five over the area - The Mechanic will do to it what he did to Global One with his new weapon!" Alan cautioned.

"Fine!" John yelled, "EOS! Keep Thunderbird Five back out of the line of fire!"

"Calculating now." EOS sweet, childlike voice sounded very businesslike. "Thunderbird Five is still in an optimal position and out of harm's way."

"Good. Thank you, EOS. I'll call Parker and get a lift then."

Alan interrupted again, "Bro, you know that Fab One can't fly that high - and even if you ride the elevator down low enough in altitude to meet him - you're needed more in space to monitor and help all of us!" Alan argued while pushing another large panel away from Global One's hull.

"True, but Virgil may need..." John argued.

Alan continued, "As soon as I drop off our patients I will fly there and find Virgil!" Alan flew to the next modular shield's edge and began cutting with the laser.

"FAB, Alan - when did you get so smart?" John conceded.

"From watching my four brothers growing up. I know you're desperate to help Virgil and worried about Ridley - But he'd be really angry if you endanger yourself or Thunderbird Five to save him," said Alan. "I'll be in a much better place to assist him - and probably sooner than you could be."

"Alright. I'll head back into Three's cockpit," said John. "All of the crew is safely aboard Thunderbird Three. I will undock it from Global One for you and pull it a safe distance away. You get back on board as soon as you can, little bro."

John heard an acknowledgement and once he stationed Three where Alan could return, used his jet pack to head back.

He didn't have to fly past his little brother on his way back to Five, but he could see him. He already had all but one heat shielding panel cut from Global One's hull.

Even though it weighed tons on Earth Alan pushed the huge panel easily into space and away from the hull. He kicked his space board, or "orbital conveyance platform," into flight and shot back to his red rocket.

* * *

"EOS! I'm on my way to Thunderbird Five - have you pinpointed Virgil's exact crash location yet?" asked John.

"Within forty-three point six miles area," EOS said. She sent him a graphical representation.

John viewed it closely in mid-flight. "That's nearly dead center of the 150 miles where Alan predicted that Global One's debris would rain back down on Antarctica. I don't like it EOS."

"That is a large area, John. It should be well spread - Virgil will be safe."

"You know if something can go wrong, it will! I can't even be sure that Virgil heard my message - he probably doesn't even know that Global One will crash to Earth!" John reminded EOS. He didn't dare say that he hoped that Virgil's unresponsiveness was just the comms being down.

* * *

Alan arrived at the hospital, trying to figure out how to land on site.

"London Hospital, this is International Rescue - Come in please." When Alan said it, he sounded a little unsure. This was way out of the norm for all of them.

A nurse with a quizzical look on his face answered from the emergency comms station. "Well, hello - International Rescue?"

"London Hospital - I have a whole lot of survivors from a wreck in space. I'm requesting permission to land my rocket on the top level of your parking structure."

The nurse took a step back, shaking his head. "You can't! It's not designed for that - what about the cars?"

'Look - there are people's lives at stake here - I know it's not ideal, but there are only two vehicles on the top level right now. I promise, if any damage is done, International Rescue will reimburse anyone involved," said Alan, exasperated. "My scans show that there is just enough room to put Thunderbird Three down without causing damage to anything!"

"This is the first time I think that you have had to land here, Thunderbird Three. It's usually the big green plane and you don't usually land."

"Right, but Thunderbird Two… is busy right now." Alan choked out. "And there are too many people, too badly injured or unconscious to lower on cables or even in the cage without landing.

"If you're sure your rocket won't melt our parking structure - you have permission to land," said the nurse.

Alan nodded seriously. "FAB! Some of the people are very seriously injured."

"10-4, Thunderbird Three. We will send ambulances and vans up there to transport your victims back down to Emergency."

"FAB London," Alan answered, not admitting to the nurse that he was already landing, permission or not.

Something he'd learned from Scott.

When he landed, those that could climb down the ladders did so. Others helped get their crewmates on stretchers to the loading platform. Everyone was offloaded onto the top level of the parking structure before the first ambulance showed up. Alan still waited anxiously, unable to move his rocket again, until everyone was off of the level.

The very second he could, he launched and entered high altitude for his trip to Antarctica. He was there in minutes - hoping that Virgil was surviving in the freezing weather.

* * *

Admittedly, Virgil didn't have much hope for his survival. The blizzard raging outside his damaged plane was quickly covering the long path it made on the ice before it came to a stop in a huge snow drift.

He was facing a dig through a solid wall of ice before he could even get to his cold weather gear. The snow that had been pushed inside what was left of his plane had melted some and then re-froze into a solid wall of ice from the bitter cold.

Near the panel containing the gear, he needed Virgil was trying to pick ice away with a large Bowie knife.

After several minutes of moving small amounts with a knife and his hands, Virgil turned back to Thunderbird Two's cockpit and cut a panel door out from under the dashboard. It was about a foot square, but close to shovel-sized.

He still had to pick ice with his knife, but overall the task was going a little faster with the handmade snow shovel.

The pilot's hands were shaking, he was already so cold.

"Crud! This isn't fast enough!" Virgil complained urgently, then switched his tone, laughing. "From here on, I-I'm wearing my p-p-parka and gloves anytime I leave Tracy Island - Even if I'm heading for the Sonoran desert."

Virgil's laugh faded as his teeth chattered. The cold was starting to ebb away into a pleasant warmth.

"I'm… getting s-s-so sleepy…" Virgil's head bobbed forward startling him awake. "No - If I go to sleep I'll die for sure! I have to keep working until someone can come find me!"

He tried to work, but after just another minute of moving ice on his knees, Virgil stopped, turned on his knees and put his butt down sitting against the wall of ice.

"This is hopeless. Even if I find my gear - I'm too cold for it to help much now," Virgil said, and then tried to snap his fingers. "Maybe I can get Two's systems up - if I can get any life support working - let it be the heat! Any motor I can get running will give me a little heat, right?"

His thought gave him new vigor, and he tried the comms. "Thunderbird Five, do you read?" Virgil wasn't really expecting an answer. He crawled over and lay down on his back under the dashboard, putting his hands up into the wire harness.

"Let see. This wire should be hot - and it's not. Hey, that rhymes. Haha," he chuckled. He rested his arm across his face, wishing to warm up his nose, but it hardly helped at all. "Hopefully I can get you hot again Two - for both our sakes."

* * *

When Scott and Gordon heard the terrifying deep voice belonging to the Mechanic, they both turned standing up straight they frowned angrily.

The Mechanic stood on top of the workbench, looking down at the brothers on the floor. The cables plugged into the back of his suit glowed, showing he was connected into his systems.

Scott especially wanted to bust him in the chops and took a step forward with his fists clenched.

After standing up, Gordon's eyelids fluttered, and he forgot to hide his injured hand. He grabbed Scott's shoulder for support.

"Gordon! What's wrong?" Scott whispered through his teeth. Instead of going after the Mechanic, he put one arm around Gordon's back to support his brother, but never looked away from the enemy.

Scott got blood from Gordon's hand on his arm when the elder grabbed for him.

There was no hiding his injury now.

Gordon didn't get a chance to answer Scott's question before the Mechanic spoke again.

"You two mice! Or rather a mouse and a squid-boy. Isn't that what they call you?" The Mechanic asked darkly, looking down at Gordon.

Scott took another step forward, almost losing Gordon. It made him look at his aquanaut brother. Scott steadied his brother again, and saw the blood on his arm.

Gordon's faint appearance and the blood frightened the pilot. The anger drained from his face, replaced by a look of concern.

"Gordon! Are you feeling faint? Where's the blood coming from?"

"I just need… a minute," Gordon panted, lifting his injured hand to rub at his eyes.

Scott wrapped his hand around Gordon's wrist, looking at his palm. "When… How did this happen?"

The Mechanic answered first again. "So one of my mice spider's did get a lick in," he said, chuckling lowly. Now you won't have much more than a minute to live squid face.

"What do you mean, Mechanic?" Scott spat out.

"If he'd been stabbed in any part of his body - he'd be dead now. Too bad for him."

"What?"

"He will still die, but more slowly - painfully! … Mwhahaha!" The Mechanic laughed. "And he's not the only one who will suffer."

He activated motors that moved two large plates of metal that covered underneath the seabed warehouse-sized room. The sunken ship and Gordon's sub slid with the sand as they all fell from the opening plates and away from the Mechanic's under sea base.

"I will launch this whole room like a huge sub, and move it into position. And with all communications, radar and all other types of scanning jammed your brothers won't know the laser is moving until it is too late!"

Huge metal legs, similar to what supported a backhoe for moving dirt, rose from the corners of the structure and planted heavy flat feet in the sand. The Mechanic was preparing to lift the whole structure and crab-walk it to its new location.

The aquanaut swayed, making Scott steady him. He didn't like the look in his brother's eyes. "Gordon? What did he do to you?" Scott asked while he thought the Mechanic was distracted.

The Mechanic somehow overheard and answered. "Poison, stupid. he should be dead already, but I see that most of it went through his hand and into the water," he said. "But I'm sure enough entered the open wound, carried back inside by the sea water. He'll have quite a nasty bacterial infection, or would have if he lived long enough."

"I'll live to a ripe old age, Mechanic - right now - we're taking you down!" Gordon shook it off and stood up straight again with Scott.

The Mechanic rolled his eyes at the duo's futile comments. "Too bad, you might have lived long enough to watch me move my laser across the seafloor so I can get a straight shot at your precious International Rescue Space Station."

"John - he's after John!" said Scott, but then hearing a tapping sound, the two looked at each other.

Scott turned to look behind Gordon just in time to see four dark metal sea spider mechas running at them. Their sharp feet clanked on the metal floor.

The Mechanic grinned in anticipation of seeing his Mecha finish off the brothers, right before his eyes.

"Gordon? Can you fight?" asked Scott, afraid of the answer.

"Yeah!" Gordon lied but sounding even angrier than Scott. In the back of his mind, he remembered seeing his yellow Thunderbird ripped in half by The Mechanic. He had wanted to return the favor in kind - and now had the chance.

Facing the warrior spider mechas, walking backward, Scott led Gordon toward the large piece of machinery in the middle of the room.

Scott had to chuckle at what he saw in spite of the danger they were in.

The Mechanic's arrogance was as bad - if not worse - than the Hood's. It was so obviously the laser that Scott intended to blow up, it might as well have had a sign on it.

Four mecha came at them from four directions, one blocking the way to the laser. One blocked their escape, and two stalked them from above moving carefully along workbenches and stacks of equipment.

The Mechanic jumped up from the workbench to the top of the laser assembly so he'd be higher and get a better view of the brother's destruction. The cables coming from his suit back glowed, and the building shook. Another sign showing that the Mechanic was getting ready to move his whole base.

A spider mecha reared up behind Scott, intending to drive its proboscis into his back, but Gordon saw it and leaning on Scott, kicked it away using both feet. After which Gordon fell to the floor. Scott stood over him and cut the next mecha's head and sharp nose off with his handheld laser.

The one that Gordon kicked turned over and stood with the other two, getting ready to attack again. Scott whispered, "Get back to the exit - I'll distract them and blow this thing up!"

"Not alone you won't," Gordon said, getting up. Seeing his brother about to retort, the aquanaut's eyes narrowed. "Not alone!"

"You can't fight like you are! I have to keep you safe- and this isn't it!"

"Then give me the present that Virgil gave to you and keep them off of my back while I put it to work!"

"FAB," Scott said seeing the point. He took off his tight-fitting glove and pulled out a flat vinyl sheet from his sleeve. It had been wrapped around his arm under his diving suit.

"That looks like half a placemat - ", said Gordon, smiling weakly. Before Scott could hand it to him, he had to get rid of a spider mecha.

The 'worker,' smaller and lighter than the 'warriors,' Scott kicked it and it sailed through the air like a football with long skinny legs.

"Nice one," said Gordon.

"As I was going to say, this small flat mat that looks like vinyl is highly explosive -" said Scott, handing it to Gordon. "Rip the back sheet off and stick it to the side of the laser assembly. It will be enough to blow this whole place up!"

"Will we have time to get out of here?"

"Just… or we should. It depends on The Mechanic and his toys. Taking the backing off and sticking it to something - activates it - according to Virgil, after that - it can't be disarmed."

"FAB." Gordon rolled the vinyl sheet and holding it in his uninjured hand started toward the laser, and The Mechanic, with Scott protecting his back.

A warrior spider mecha ran along the top of the long workbench and jumped at Scott from above. But he was ready and cut the machine in half as it fell on him. Oil from the things body sprayed his face shield, and he had to stop and wipe it off so he could see. Looking first for Gordon, he saw him on his knees where the Mechanic couldn't see what he was doing just as another mecha ran at him.

Seeing just the pilot, the enemy sneered.

"Is squid-face unconscious yet?" taunted the Mechanic. He was sure that by then Gordon would be too weak to be of any threat if not dead already.

"No - he's still conscious. I've got his back," retorted Scott.

The Mechanic scoffed at what he thought was a lie. "Come on Tracy mouse - You are alone, you better watch your own back."

Scott smiled, seeing Gordon pull the backing off of the explosive. He stuck it firmly to the metal apparatus and smoothed it carefully like he was putting a bumper sticker on Thunderbird Four.

Scott rolled when a spider mecha hit him from the side. He somehow managed to avoid the thing's sharp nose which was dripping some of what he assumed was the poison. The pilot stabbed it straight up through its narrow body.

With surgical precision, Scott cut the thing's proboscis off above its rotating base and held it tightly in his hand. "I'll take this," he said.

The Mechanic was down to only one warrior mecha and called in some more of the worker drones to keep the eldest Tracy surrounded.

Looking back, Scott saw Gordon still kneeling over the vinyl bomb, but with his head against it for support. He ran to his little brother saying, "This is a very bad place to stop for a rest!"

But Gordon collapsed against the wall with the bomb on it, semiconscious. "Gordon!" he yelled, pulling him to his feet. "We have to get out of here before it blows!"

"Blows?" the Mechanic repeated. "You planted a bomb!" He pushed his wrist controller sending all of the remaining worker mecha to attack the brothers.

Then he switched his sensors over and scanned the area. His sensors showed him the bomb and that it was 'hot,' set to blow any second. A very quick examination showed The Mechanic no way to disable it - or even how it worked.

The Mechanic growled softly, releasing himself from his systems. As the cables fell away from his back, he stepped into a small escape sub and launched, sending a lot of water rushing down into the room.

Suddenly finding himself in water, Gordon was awakened. He and Scott were swept off of their feet but immediately swam, both using their dive jets to get down through the entrance pipe quickly.

They found themselves on the opened top of the Mechanic's undersea base. They were on their way to Thunderbird Four sitting nearby on the seafloor when the bomb went off. It lifted the base, the sunken ship, and the yellow sub attached to it up off the seabed, sending the sub, debris from the explosion and the two members of International Rescue all in different directions.

It was not the only disaster going on right then, though the second had not been heard underwater. Debris from Global One had made it to ground and the surface of the ocean.

The brothers yelled the other's name as they were pushed away from each other.

Scott held onto his prize he'd cut from the spider mecha tightly like it was a trophy even as his brother left his sight. He tucked the amputated proboscis under the straps that held the dive jet on his back.

Scott had to fight hard use his tired, sore legs, both arms and the dive jet in reverse to stop his fast trip through the water. He thought he must have looked like a torpedo.

He had just slowed down enough to turn and start back to find Gordon when a very large piece of Global One sank down over his head blocking what little light there was at his present depth.

Scott yelled in surprise again looking up as the dark, polluted sea around him got even darker. Continuing his battle to move quickly through the pressure surrounding him, he kicked hard. Even kicking up sand with his flippers, the movement was taking every bit of the strength he had left.

He might have made it to, except for a projection attached to the hull, came to rest on his leg as he tried to kick away.

* * *

Still desperate to get away, Scott pushed the dive jet on his back to the max only to cry out in pain as his pinned leg refused to come out from under the large piece of space station. The settling weight of the space station's burnt hull was pushing his leg down deeply into the sand.

"Gordon? John? Anyone? - I could really use some help here!" Scott cried out. He looked back where the ship and yellow sub had been and saw a glow that meant there was a fire burning underground.

"Still no signals' from down here! Please be okay, Gordon!"

All of The Mechanic's fuel, oil and a dozen other flammable liquids he stored there were burning. Only a worker sea spider mecha was still moving in the area, and it was swimming right for him.

"Ahhha! Scott yelled, hurrying to find his laser cutter only to find that he had dropped it somewhere.

Smaller, half-burned pieces of space station began to rain down around Scott at the same time. As though he'd planned it, one piece hit the attacking spider mecha and pushed it into the sand, just as it came close enough to attack Scott. Sparks and bubbles rose from the wrecked mecha.

Breathing a sigh of relief Scott said, "Phew." He let himself fall back on the seabed. He was pinned on his side, the useless dive jet in the sand behind his back and his free leg not strong enough to move the semi truck-sized chunk of space station debris that held him. He tried the comm again. The one good thing was that he was partially protected from the other falling space debris.

He tried his comm again. "Thunderbird Five - Please come in...John? Gordon?"

This time a crackling could be heard in his helmet.

"A… to… co…" Scott heard it - sure it was John's voice. "John! I'm trapped - Gordon and I were separated - Gordon's sick - poisoned."

On Thunderbird Five John said, "EOS, I can't understand what Scott's saying - can you boost the power?"

"I'm trying John," said EOS.

John switched frequencies again, "Alan! Debris is hitting the ground! How far away are you?"

"Over the area now, just got comms back," said Alan. "My sensors are picking up an object that could only be Thunderbird Two - but she's completely inoperative."

He was about to continue when he saw a sudden darkness over his ship. "Whoa!" Alan cried involuntarily as he pulled his ship sharply to the side to avoid a large chunk of falling space station. Two smaller chunks of charred metal hit his rocket instead. Over the clanging sounds, Alan cried, "I'm over Thunderbird Two now! No sign of Virgil yet."

Wham! Another chunk of metal bounced off of Thunderbird Three's tail assembly causing the tail section to dip sharply, and Alan quickly used the thrusters to correct it.

Alan fired the thrusters when needed, keeping his rocket horizontal, over Thunderbird Two's skeleton.

"I'm going down to find Virgil, John."

"Be careful! Watch your head!" said John, apprehensively.

"FAB, John," said Alan.

* * *

On the sea floor, Scott looked up. Sensing that they would have a large meal soon, the real, living sea spiders began to gather around him.

He had to admit, he could see why Gordon felt faint around the animals as their numbers grew.

"Crud! Why are you guys the only ones to survive the Mechanic's pollution down here?" Scott asked them but continued. "I hope Gordon's still okay -. -Ahhh! Somebody get this pressure off of my leg!" Scott yelled in frustration.

* * *

Gordon had fortunately been moved toward his own 'Bird, but said vehicle was also moving. He frantically used the control's on his arm to stop Thunderbird Four and bring it back to where he was traveling through the water.

With a hole through his palm and the poison spreading, he could only use his thumb to push the buttons, but with a simple wave of his injured hand, Thunderbird Four came close and began pacing him.

Remembering his dive jet, Gordon used it to slow down and bring himself close to Thunderbird Four's lower hatch so he could grab on, and enter.

"I made it inside Thunderbird Four - Scott? - Scott? Where are you?" he said, hoping his brother could hear him.

"Oh, Gordon! Good to hear your voice. I'm stuck under a semi truck-sized chunk of, I'm guessing, Global One - could use your help, but are you okay?" Scott asked his little brother, frowning.

"I'm fine - The Mechanic must have been lying. I see you! I'll be right there!"

Gordon saw small chunks of debris sinking all around his sub as he made his way back to Scott. He steered his sub around the largest ones.

"There! Gordon, you're almost here - I can see the glow of your lights." Scott said. Exhausted, he put his head back on the sand.

Yes, I can see a large chunk of debris. It must be the one you're under - 'bout the size of a school bus?"

"That's it." Scott smiled with relief.

Gordon asked with serious concern, "Are you hurt, Scott?"

"No, I don't think so - just stuck! The sand kept my leg from being crushed," he said. "If my legs were already so sore it would have never trapped me!'

"I'm sure that's true - I'll be right down to see the best way to get you out!"

"FAB, but Gordon, I have to tell you - your leggy little friends have come to check on me. They got here first."

"It's okay Scott - we just beat the Mechanic and his spiders! No sea creature, even real spiders can scare me now!"

"FAB Gordo," Scott rested his head back on the sand to wait.

Gordon extended Thunderbird Four's grasping arms and grabbed onto the metal debris well above Scott's location, but he didn't lift yet. He pushed back into his pilot's seat and Thunderbird Four smoothly deposited him back in the water.

Swimming under his sub he found Scott and swam down to him. "Gordon, what took ya?"

"I stopped for a celery crunch bar," Gordon teased. He held his injured hand against his abdomen and winced as he looked down at Scott. He reached in through the dozens of sea spiders and under the metal hull. With his uninjured hand began moving a little sand.

"Oh, I see, there is some sort of apparatus, a protrusion really, that actually pushed your ankle down into the sand and pinned you."

Gordon spoke as he moved a little more sand and he gently moved spiders too. "Come on little ones - you don't want to get squished as badly as my brother has. Oh wait, you're smarter than to let that happen aren't you?" Gordon spoke kindly to the sea spiders as he moved them out of the way, from around Scott's body.

Scott glared at his brother after his commen. "Wait?! Are you saying those creatures are smarter than me?"

"I don't see any of them stuck under space debris at the bottom of the ocean," said Gordon, smiling.

"Fair enough," said Scott.

Gordon sat up straight, rotated his wrist he used the controls above his injured hand to begin to make Thunderbird Four move in the water. Very slowly, carefully rotating the whole chunk of space station. Thunderbird Four helped relieve the pressure on Scott's ankle.

Scott pulled his own leg out as soon as he could. "Thanks, Gordo - let's get back up and find Virgil."

Gordon floated above him, his hands falling apart after guiding his sub to rescue Scott. His eyes were closed. Scott swam up and looked into his little brother's face.

"Oh no! Gordon?" he shook him by his shoulders. Gordon groaned and looked at him.

"Scott - what happened? I was using Four to…" he stopped talking and his eyes went shut again. "I can barely stay awake."

Scott looked at his hand. "Gordo…" he sighed, "You didn't even cover your hand!"

"No time, had to … you, Sco…"

That was all he could get out of his mouth when a sudden sharp pain shot through his abdomen. With Scott holding onto his shoulders, the pain curled him into a floating fetal position.

"Aaagnnnn! I've never felt such pain! Scott! Help me!" Gordon cried, holding onto the front of Scott's diving suit with his uninjured hand. The other he kept pressed into his gut.

Scott hugged him and used his dive jet to rise up to Thunderbird Four's belly, holding Gordon in a bear hug. Unable to kick hard enough to get Gordon inside the sub, Scott released the extra weight of both of their jet packs and they sank back down into the murky water out of his sight.

"Gordon? Can you help me a little?" Scott asked.

"I'll try…" the poisoned aquanaut tried to pull himself up through the hatch like he'd done a thousand times before, but the sharp pain intensified again to the point it was all he could do to stay conscious.

"Oh, Scott - it hurts so much! I can't! I'm sorry." Gordon panted, curling back into a ball in the water with his knees drawn up to his chest.

Sighing in exasperation, Scott fired a grapple line the short distance to Thunderbird Four's ceiling and used the cable to pull himself and his brother out of the water. He continued to let the cable pull him up until he could stand easily on the floor. Feeling Gordon go limp into his arms, Scott turned and lifted the younger man into an arm cradle. He then placed Gordon in an open dry tube.

Thinking his brother passed out, Scott said, "Gordo, this feels way too familiar! Can you wake up for me?" Scott shook Gordon's shoulder as he looked at the wound.

"I'm awake - it just hurts so much! I wish I could pass out."

Scott decided not to respond about how bad that would actually be and instead felt his pulse at his neck. "Thunderbird Five, can you read me now?" he called out desperately.

To Be Continued . . .


	7. Chapter 7

A Tangled Web 7  
By Crystalquirt  
Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction  
I don't own anything or anyone.

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John's mouth fell open in surprise as he heard Scott's baritone voice over the comm. He was so happy to hear his other brother's voice that it took him a moment to answer.

"Yes, Scott - I hear you!" answered John, "It seems that all of the interference and the Mechanic's communications jammer has finally gone offline."

Scott's voice implied no time for pleasantries. "Good - John - please check Gordon's vitals - he has a hand injury..."

"Vitals for a hand injury? That doesn't sound too bad," John reasoned, "Can you help Alan find Virgil?"

"You didn't let me finish, John," Scott continued apprehensively. "It's not just a hand injury. He's only semiconscious at times."

"Semiconscious," asked John, and when it was confirmed, he continued, "Do you suspect a head injury?"

"Negative Thunderbird Five," Scott confirmed, then continued, "John, there is a strong possibility that the Mechanic has poisoned him in addition to swimming in that polluted ocean water with an open wound."

John quickly pulled up the medical programs. "Scott. I'm connecting for a medical scan now, but he was poisoned? How?"

Scott began to tell John a little about the setup and the Mechanic's version of sea spiders.

While Scott spoke he grabbed a long, heavy plastic container with a locking lid from the overhead compartments. He carefully pulled the roughly two-foot long, excised proboscis from under the straps on his back and placed it inside. After he was sure that the lid was secure, he carefully placed it near Gordon's feet on the bed.

While he listened to Scott's story, John easily tapped into Thunderbird Four's systems for a signal boost and medically scanned Gordon. He frowned, interrupting Scott's story. "He's in big trouble Scott. Get him back to Tracy Island as soon as you can!"

"FAB," Scott frowned, placing his palm against Gordon's forehead, feeling how hot he was. Gordon was curled up on his side, facing away from Scott and the unhinged part of the dry tube. He was experiencing pain so severe that he was panting and his whole body shuddered as though he was convulsing.

"We're on our way to Thunderbird One. What about Virgil?" asked Scott.

"Alan is on it," said John. "Take care of Gordon and get him here."

"FAB, John." Scott said thoughtfully, "Are you sure our little brother can do it on his own?"

"I'm sure Scott. Today I was reminded that Alan can do whatever he sets his mind to do," said John, making sure Scott focused. "Get Gordon back here!"

Switching frequencies, John said, "Brains, come in please."

"I'm here J-John," Brains answered from under MAX. He was on his back with MAX standing patiently while the engineer cleaned out his lower processors.

"I really have no idea how MAX gets so dirty!" said Brains before the space monitor could say anything. MAX looked down, between his front legs at Brains when he spoke.

"Brains! Haven't you been listening to the mission?" John asked.

"I was - but I guess I got distracted. Alan got the injured G-Global One crew to the hospital. Everything is going well now isn't it?"

"No - not well at all. Scott is pretty sure that Gordon has been poisoned by The Mechanic and Virgil is still M.I.A.," said John, summing up as quickly as he could.

"Oh, I'm sorry John. How can I help?" asked Brains, climbing out from underneath MAX.

"Get ready to receive Gordon in the Medical Room," John said as he looked at the global scanner. "Also, can you boost the scanner's power? There is a fire burning under the sea bed - can you tell if there is anything we'll need to do about it?"

"We can probably just keep an eye on it while it burns itself out, John, but as far as G-Gordon is concerned, I'm not sure what to do for p-poisoning! I'm an engineer first, remember?"

John pursed his lips before continuing. "I know Brains, but I wouldn't put the Mechanic past destroying the hospital to get to us!" he said. "This poison was 'engineered' by the Mechanic - You can do it right? I know you have all of the scientific and medical equipment any hospital has. I know you can come up with an antidote to the poison and save Gordon!"

"If I knew what he used to make the poison, perhaps," Brains said, scratching his chin in thought. "I will need a large enough s-sample of the poison to make a full analysis."

"No problem Brains," Scott interrupted, looking at the plastic container. "I have a 'nose' off of one of those mecha weapons - it was dripping with the poison, I'm sure it will contain plenty of sample."

"Good Scott, get it and Gordon here a soon as you can," said Brains.

"Were almost to the surface. I'll transfer Gordon to Thunderbird One for fast transport. We can pick up Thunderbird Four later." Scott shared his plan. "Do you know of any other poison experts or anyone you'd like me to pick up on the way back to base?"

"No, but I'm already in the process of setting up a link with London Hospital for any advice or assistance I will need. Can you send me any preliminary data on the poison?"

"I think so," said Scott. "I'll make a slide and see what we can find."

With a determined look, he turned from Gordon's side, back to another compartment located just on the other side of the cargo area.

He pulled down the compartment door and pulled it out more creating a scientific work station, complete with microscope. He had just taken a new slide out of a package when Gordon screamed and groaned, startling Scott so badly that he dropped and broke the unused slide.

"Ouunnngh!" Gordon cried as he buried his face against his arm, gritting his teeth. Rolling further onto his side, he wrapped his uninjured hand and arm around his abdomen.

Rather that get out another slide to collect a sample of the poison, Scott jumped back over to Gordon's side just in time to keep him from scooting backwards out of the dry tube. He cried pitifully, "Oh, Scott - the Mechanic was right! It would have been better if I would have died right away!"

Scott's blue eyes narrowed in anger. "No! Gordon - don't ever say that - don't give up!"

"You don't understand…"

"Come on - I do understand, you know?! I lived through and recovered from worse than third degree burned legs - and several skin grafts." the pilot said, not daring to mention that his legs were hurting right then from the day's overuse.

"Oh- but this hurts so badly!" Gordon cried.

"I don't mean the level of pain - that is hard to compare between two people, even brothers. I meant all the times while I was recovering, that I thought it would have been better to have just died in the fire -" said Scott, making the aquanaut look at him in pained surprise. "But I know now it was worth it - all the pain I went through was worth it to stay with my family - and to be able to keep on helping people however I can! I know you can survive this - later you'll be happy you did!"

"You're right, of course, Scott, but… Aaaagnnn! It feels like the Mechanic has reached inside me and is pulling my guts out!"

"Well, he hasn't - he isn't! Just hang on Gordon!" Scott stayed by Gordon to keep him from thrashing his way right out of the dry tube.

Gordon's response was a pained moan, making Scott frown. "John! Brains! Isn't there anything I can give Gordon to ease his pain?"

Brains answered first, anticipating his question after hearing Gordon suffering so much that he begged. "No- Scott! Don't give him anything until we've analyzed the poison - it might do more harm than good."

"Tell that to Gordon!" Scott cried.

"Scott, you understand - right - you can't give him any pain killing drug or analgesic right now," reasoned the engineer. "It could interact with the poison."

"I understand." Scott took a moment, holding Gordon's hand and finger combing his sweat soaked, blond hair out of his eyes.

Gordon's scalp and face broke out in a cold sweat even as Scott watched large beads of sweat formed on his brother's skin.

His diving suit collar was also wet. Scott realized all that moisture was trapped in the diving suit. He grabbed a cloth from an overhead compartment and wiped Gordon's face. Saying softly, "take it easy bro, try to relax -relax every muscle in your body one at a time if you have to. I'll get you out of that suit and make you as comfortable as I can."

"I can't relax!" Gordon argued, sobbing.

"I know you think you can't but… try for me, okay?"

There was a moment of silence on Thunderbird Four.

"FAB," said Gordon quietly.

John and Brains let out the breaths they'd been holding, listening to Gordon's pleas for help.

In a few moments, Scott had him out of his diving suit and wet underclothes. Gordon seemed to relax a little, and Scott covered him back up with a sheet and thin blanket.

He quickly took two steps and reached back for another microslide. This time he turned back to find Gordon trying to remain relaxed. He had his eyes squeezed shut, and was forcing himself to take deeper breaths through gritted teeth.

Standing close so that Gordon couldn't suddenly roll off the bed, he opened the case with the poisoned rod in it and shook a few drops of blue liquid from the pointed end onto the slide.

"Gordon, I have to go to the cabin to send this to Brains - but I'll be right back, okay?"

It sounded to Scott that Gordon was going to answer, but his 'hmm,' sound turned into a whine.

"I'll take that as a yes. We're only a couple of hundred feet from the surface where Thunderbird One is waiting," said Scott, fastening three belts loosely across Gordon's chest, hips and knees. "Hang on for me, Gordon?"

"FAB." said Gordon, "but hurry back, okay?"

"Okay, Gordo."

Scott slid on Gordon's seat to find himself in the cabin. It was a little tighter fit for him that it was for the aquanaut, but still enough room. He turned to a slot in the side of the wall and put the slide in. Then he pushed a button that closed the slot and made a green light go on.

Scott tapped the IR logo on his sash. "There Brains - the microslide is in the scanner."

"Thank you Scott, receiving data now." Brains said.

"I'm receiving it too, John added. "EOS, take a look at this would you?"

"FAB John," said the AI as she started her own scan.

"We'll be leaving Thunderbird Four for Thunderbird One in 5.3 minutes. See you soon." said Scott.

"FAB, Scott - let us know if anything changes." John requested.

Scott returned Four's aft to check on Gordon.

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Alan dropped to the ground on a grapple line after locking his Thunderbird into a holding pattern over Thunderbird Two. The green plane was almost completely covered in snow that quickly froze into solid ice.

The cable fed out more length as Alan moved around, staying attached so he'd have a quick way up. He wore a thick parka and gloves with his helmet and began melting snow and ice with a short, wide-beam laser soon revealing Thunderbird Two's nose.

"Oh, I thought this would've been the back end. Thunderbird Two must have slid in backwards," he said, though happy he found the front side, since he figured that Virgil would likely be nearer the front of the plane.

"Virgil? Can you hear me?" Alan called using his comm channel and quickly climbed up on the snow bank to move snow from the front window. He intended to look through Two's windshield to see what he could see. He couldn't see Virgil at all at first, but getting a little higher he recognized a dark shape on the floor inside to be Virgil's blue boot with the green stripe.

"Thunderbird Five!" Alan yelled urgently, "I see him - he's down and not moving at all!"

"Do you need assistance Alan?" asked John.

"I'll let you know - it'll be faster if I cut in through Two's front - there is a mountain of ice covering the damaged back end.

"Whatever it takes Alan - let me know right away if you need anything!"

"John, will your little brother be able to lift Virgil?" EOS asked.

"Probably not, at least to carry him, but he can get him on a stretcher and wrench him up to Thunderbird Three."

"Will he think of that? I mean in space where he usually works, weight of a victim is not usually a concern."

"I'm sure he already has. Alan knows his physical limits," John said softly, watching his screens. "Kayo, come in please."

"I'm ready to launch, John." Kayo reported.

"Hold off a little while - I think Scott has things well in hand with Gordon - and Alan should have Virgil out and on the way back soon."

"FAB, Thunderbird Five. I'll stand by." said Kayo.

"You are correct John - at least for now, your brothers seem to have things under control," said EOS. "We are now receiving images from the crash."

"Oh that looks very bad. Thunderbird Two really was cut in half buy the Mechanic's laser!"

John switched communications to his youngest brother. "Alan! Can you get to him yet? What are his injuries?"

"I'm in," Alan said as he dropped through the hole he'd made in the windshield.

"Virgil?" Alan cried as he reached his brother's still form. He put his hand to the pilot's neck and feeling a pulse, shook his shoulder. "Virgil?"

Frowning when he didn't stir, Alan switched comms, "John - he's unresponsive, can you do a medical scan?"

"Yes - already on it - receiving now," said John. "His temperature is dangerously low and so is his blood pressure. You have to warm him up immediately.

"FAB - both of us are heading up to Thunderbird Three."

Alan took Virgil's shoulder laser from his suit and used it to make his hole bigger and more on top of Thunderbird Two's roof so the cable could pull him straight up and out. Alan took the cable from his harness and snapped it into the rings on Virgil's green harness.

Alan quickly checked Virgil's arms and legs for broken bones and finding nothing suspicious quickly retracted the cable into Three enough to begin lifting Virgil off of the floor. He didn't have his helmet on and Alan didn't see it anywhere, so he hugged the cable, and Virgil's head to keep him safe and protect him from the wind as much as possible for the short ride up to Three's cargo hold.

John and EOS watched a graphical 3D representation of the rescue on Five's screens. John smiled and got tears in his eyes watching his little brother expertly maneuver his biggest brother's large form alone. But it also greatly concerned him that Virgil seemed unresponsive during the whole rescue.

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"Thunderbird Shadow - come in again please..." John called again after he thought about his family's situation.

"I'm still here Thunderbird Five. Did you think of something I can do to help?"

"FAB, I realized that we're leaving our ships, or parts of our Thunderbirds all over the place near Antarctica." said John.

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Good. Can you go there and make sure that Two and Four stay secure?"

"FAB, I can and will," she said with a determined nod.

"If you see any sign of the Mechanic returning - send up fireworks, okay?"

"FAB, Thunderbird Five, I'll be happy to make many 'fireworks'," Kayo answered. In only a moment Thunderbird Shadow was launching from the island.

"FAB and I'll go down to help Brains and Grandma with Gordon and Virgil," John said.

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Alan in Thunderbird Three with Virgil in a Hypo Chamber, pushed his Thunderbird as fast as she'd go in a sub orbital altitude. The pilot was warming up, but had yet to show signs of coming to his senses.

Only 100 miles from Tracy Island Thunderbird One passed under the red rocket holding a lower altitude with Scott piloting and Gordon strapped onto one of One's rescue stretchers. Gordon was becoming too weak to even scream in pain and was drifting in out out of consciousness.

"Thunderbird One to Base! I'm on approach to Tracy Island - Are you ready for me?" radioed Scott.

"We're ready and waiting Thunderbird One. How is Gordon?" John asked.

"Worse... Much worse..." said Scott, softly like he didn't want Gordon to hear him.

Except Gordon already knew he wasn't doing well.

As soon as Thunderbird One landed in it's bay, Brains, Grandma Tracy and John were waiting on the passenger platform and entered when Scott opened the hatch.

Brains grabbed the plastic case containing the proboscis and poison. He barely took the time to glance at his patient - at Gordon - knowing if he did it might distract him from the important task he was about to undertake.

Brains was the first back to the hangar floor and was running back to his lab with the poison. John and Scott moved Gordon to the cargo platform with Grandma Tracy hovering closely to her extremely ill grandson.

"He's still pouring sweat - we have to get him on an IV drip, saline, as soon as we get him to the med bay." said Scott. He had rushed to get Gordon to the Island as fast as possible, and had not stopped to set an IV in flight.

"Right, Scott," John said. "Can you take care of that while I see what I can do to assist Brains?"

"FAB John - and Thunderbird Three will be here any second. Alan will need help with Virgil."

"I'll also watch for them and meet them in Thunderbird Three's hangar," said John.

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John entered Brains lab to find him talking to MAX and EOS. "From the sample Scott sent me from Thunderbird Four, I've figured out that the p-poison consists of hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, polyacrylate, benzalkonium chloride, and worst of all, dimethylbenzyl hydroxide saccharinate," he said, rambling as he turned. He startled when he saw the redhead. "Oh - hi J-John."

"Brains, I heard what you were saying!" said John. "Those chemicals will…"

"Yes John, I'm afraid that this concoction is literally burning Gordon's insides. It will cause internal bleeding and even affect his brain," he said, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses. "If he had consumed it by oral route we c-could have just caused him to vomit or have pumped his stomach and it would have helped. But it entered through a wound - almost like being injected. It is similar to the poison of a spider, designed to pre digest a spider's meal before they suck it up.

John swallowed hard, pushing back the urge to throw up at the mental image his friend described. "Oh, gross Brains! This is Gordon! What can we do? Scott is starting an IV.

"Right, good start - flush out his system. Push those fluids in as fast as they'll go at first - take care not to drown him," said Brains, who then winced in sympathy at the next order. "I'd recommend using a urinary catheter as well."

"Will that do it? Will that be enough to save him?"

"I don't know for sure - we just have to hope that none of his organs shut down. Kidney and liver would be in the most danger I believe. I will continue testing and hopefully find an antidote."

The astronaut nodded, "Good luck Brains. Scott needs to know - I'll tell him and go meet Thunderbird Three." said John, hearing the rumble of the red rocket landing."

"Tracy Island - I'm here!" said Alan.

"We hear you Thunderbird Three." Scott answered, "John will be there in a moment to help get Virgil offloaded."

"You don't need to - Virgil is awake!" said Alan excitedly. "He insists he isn't hurt and can walk."

"Better have him wait. We don't know how long he's been unconscious or if he has other injuries," said Scott. "John is on his way."

"Actually, I will be soon," said the astronaut walking toward him.

"Oh, John, you're here - I just lied to Alan then - He's expecting you to be there to help with Virgil. He's awake and insisting on walking."

"Good to hear actually." John began. "But I've got some news about the poison."

"What is it?"

"It's bad," John said simply as he walked over to open Gordon's IV up all the way. "Brains suggested to start off with, we try to flush his system out. Better get a urinary catheter set and get a blood sample to Brains ASAP. He wants to check Gordon's liver and kidney function in detail."

"What has he learned? Can he make an antidote?"

"Not sure yet - but he's working on it. Scott, this stuff is bad - even in a tiny amount."

The aquanaut overheard and whimpered, "Am I gonna die, John?" Gordon whispered.

"No way, Gordon. We're all working on an antidote," John replied firmly. "Brains is in contact with the GDF's Poison Control Center and other doctors at London Hospital including the best endocrine expert on this planet. If we have anything to say about it - you'll be just fine Gordon."

"Hhunn." Gordon groaned instead of answering. He weakly held his stomach and drew one knee up in agony.

"Hang on Gordon!" said John, turning to go to Thunderbird Three but nearly ran into Virgil.

"Virg! Should you be up?"

"I'm fine - I was just a little cold! How is Gordon?" Virgil seemed a little unsteady as he took Gordon's uninjured hand in his.

Gordon briefly opened his eyes and managed to give Virgil a weak smile. "I'm glad… you're okay Virg."

"You will be too, Gordo." Virgil answered gently, though inwardly wincing at the wound on both sides of his brothers hand.

Hearing movement at the foot of Gordon's bed, Virgil watched curiously as Scott lifted the sheet covering Gordon's legs up just a little over his knees and opened a package containing a sterile catheter.

"Oh man, is that necessary?" Virgil asked, this time showing his flinch.

"It will be soon - Brains said we have to push fluids, and they will have to come out soon enough. Gordon will be more comfortable this way, at least after it's in."

"Right." Virgil noticed then that the fluids were running as fast as they'd go into Gordon's vein. John reached over and gave the bag a squeeze - pushing the fluid in even faster.

Gordon managed a groan and squeezed Virgil's hand when Scott inserted the catheter.

"Easy Gordo," Virgil tried to comfort him.

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Kayo appeared at the doorway and John was the first to see her.

"What are you doing here?" John asked urgently, "Is Thunderbird Four safe? And what's left of Thunderbird Two?"

"Oh, my plane!" Virgil cried at the memory.

"I'm glad you're well too, Virgil," said Kayo teasing but also in sincerity. Then she continued. "The GDF helped get Virgil's Thunderbird out of the snowbank and have it, and Thunderbird Four on an aircraft carrier, bringing them both here."

"That's a little relief," John admitted.

"And I brought someone who insisted on seeing you."

"Fine, I'll be right out. Colonel Casey must be here wanting a report." said John. "Virgil, Scott - if anything changes - call me!"

"FAB," Scott answered.

John walked out expecting to see Colonel Casey but instead saw Captain O'Bannon in a wheelchair being pushed toward him by Alan.

"Ridley? They let you out of the hospital?"

"Not everyone was in agreement, but I left." Ridley wore a bandage and brace around her neck. "They did surgery to stop the bleeding."

"I can tell," deadpanned John.

O'Bannon continued cooly. "I wanted to thank Alan here for saving my life -" she said, then narrowed her eyes. "And find out why you didn't do anything to save my station? I heard you let it crash to Earth!"

"I didn't 'let' anything happen. It couldn't be helped," said John. "There were many lives in danger, and no time to try and keep what was left of your station in orbit."

"It was my command! Now what am I supposed to do?"

Grandma Tracy heard loud voices and left Brains side to see what was going on. She got out into the hanger in time to hear John.

"At this moment, I really do not care, O'Bannon!" John addressed her only with her last name. "Instead of yelling at me - at us - you should be grateful to be alive - and that most of your crew is alive - if you want to be angry with someone - be angry with the Mechanic. He did all of this - and ALL you lost was a big hunk of machinery."

"That 'big hunk of machinery' is my life," she said angrily.

"And the Mechanic tried to destroy something much more important in MY life than your darned machine!" he retorted, angry at her response. He shook his head. "I have to get back to my brother now - good day, Captain."

John turned on his heel and left Bannon sitting there. Alan ran after John to see what was going on with Gordon. Sally put her hands on her hips and glared at the Captain, daring her to say anything else.

Kayo frowned at O'Bannon. "Your ride should be here any minute. We should meet them upstairs," she said coldly and began to push Ridley to the elevators.

"No, wait! I need to talk to John!"

"John doesn't have time right now. Gordon, one of his little brothers, was poisoned by the Mechanic and is in very serious condition."

"Oh, no wonder…" Ridley whispered. She didn't say anything else as Kayo took her upstairs.  
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Kayo returned to the Med Bay after Captain O'Bannon left in a GDF plane that had landed on the beach. She said softly, "Thunderbirds Four and Two are back. They even found the tail section, or most of it."

"I can't just sit here. I'll go help the GDF off load them." Virgil volunteered. Alan silently followed him when he left the area.

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Offloading Thunderbird Four was easy. Alan launched it into the water right from the aircraft carrier. Under different circumstances, he would have thought it fun. Alan drove it straight to its underwater hanger and sequenced it through the airlock doors.

Virgil had the carrier lower a ramp to the end of Thunderbird Two's landing strip. He got an IR version of a mechanized pallet Jack, big enough to hold Thunderbird Two. Virgil wrenched Thunderbird Two's carcass onto the platform and waved to the carrier's crew as thanks.

The carrier was underway, and still trying to keep some secrets, Virgil waited until they were out of sight before he parted the trees and open the hangar door. The pallet jack's motor strained pulling the green plane's two pieces into its launch bay. Excused by Brains to help, MAX came out and assisted Virgil with moving the huge load.

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An hour later, Scott walked on his own, briefly until he could reach one of the canes Brains had for him to use if he needed to. And he felt like he needed to. He hobbled until he found Alan sitting outside the Med Bay. He sat on a bench with his legs crossed, elbows on his knees and leaning forward with his face in his hands.

Virgil already sat on the bench next to him so Scott sat on his other side. Through narrow windows, they could just see John's and Grandma's worried faces as they tended to Gordon.

Scott looked back at Alan. Placing his hand on Alan's shoulder he asked, "Try not to worry, Alan. Gordon is strong - he'll make it through this."

Virgil looked down at the floor in case he might tear up, he didn't want Scott to see.

Alan said, "You can't convince me that you aren't worried, Scott."

Scott looked at his feet, unable to argue right then.

Brains saw the brothers on his way from his lab back to the Med Bay. "Hi guys," he greeted them. "I have this to add to Gordon's fluids."

"What is it, Brains?" Virgil asked, looking at the clear substance in the syringe.

"Antibiotics - Dr. Smith at the hospital said we should start blasting Gordon's system with antibiotics now, to try and get a head start on the bacterial infection he picked up while swimming injured in that polluted water."

"So it did affect him," said Scott.

"Yes, it will anyway - there are thousands of parts per milliliter," said the engineer. "If you want to take a look, the slide is still in the microscope."

"No thanks, Brains. We believe you," said Alan.

"Just more proof that the Mechanic must be stopped!" said Scott suddenly, urgently. He stood up, making fists. "Brain's is there anything I can do here to help you for the next while?"

"No, I don't think so. John said he'd be staying and with Virgil's help… I can't think of anything. Why?"

"I'll be back!" Scott started to leave.

"Wait!" Alan grabbed Scott's arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm sure Gordon didn't get a chance to distribute Brains cure for the ocean water while we were down there," said Scott. "If it's still on board, I'll take Thunderbird Four back to the area and complete the water treatment."

"But Scott, you can't leave now!" said Alan.

To Be Continued . . .


	8. Chapter 8

A Tangled Web 8

By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go! Fan Fiction

I don't own anything or anyone.

* * *

The eldest Tracy glared at his brothers' order. "Fine!" Scott said, "I won't leave now." He sat back down on the bench next to Alan.

Brains left to get back to Gordon and administer the antibiotic treatment. Virgil and John followed him in case they could help, but Scott stayed seated. He reached down and rubbed his sore muscles behind his knees. He noticed that Alan didn't get up to follow the others either.

Scott asked Alan, "Aren't you going with them?"

"Why? Aren't you going to the Med Bay too?" Alan asked suspiciously as he turned sideways on the bench to face his eldest brother.

"No, because Alan - I can't just sit here!" said Scott. "I know that Gordon would appreciate it if - when he feels better - I can take him back and show him the improvement to the environment in the area." Scott leaned in like he was pleading with Alan to understand his reasons.

"That would be great, but look at the facts Scott. It will take you more than 30 hours to get there in Thunderbird Four with Two out of commission," argued Alan.

"It won't take that long - I'll push Four to its limits." Scott reasoned, depending heavily on the cane to help him get to his feet.

"But what if we need you here?" Alan stood up too, saying, "You shouldn't leave now… In case Gordon… You just shouldn't leave!"

"Gordon will be okay! He can't be anything else!" Scott insisted, turning away to walk to Thunderbird Four's launch. It was slow going, with his sore, exhausted legs.

"As much as I'd like to believe that you are right - you don't know that! And It would be terrible for all of us - if you were not here for ... Scott!" Alan argued yelling as Scott hobbled away from him.

Alan caught up and got in front of Scott who tried to reason with him. "Scott stay here! We need your help."

"There's nothing I can do here, anyway. I can't stand seeing him in so much pain! Besides, with any luck I'll run into the Mechanic and blow him off of the face of the planet for doing this to Gordon - And everything else he's done to our family!" Scott threatened.

"No! I knew it! You're really hoping to find the Mechanic!" cried Alan, and Scott glanced away, confirming it. The youngest continued. "You'll be alone, with only Thunderbird Four. I mean - all he has to do is get out of the water to get away from you! And he's destroyed Four before! He nearly killed Gordon that time too!"

"Shhhh Alan," said Scott. Leaning on his cane, he put his index finger right in front of Alan's lips and continued, "I don't want the others to hear. EOS can help me find him and keep me under his radar until it's too late."

The astronaut swatted Scott's finger off his lips, narrowing his eyes. "Too late for him? Or for you?" Alan got in front of Scott determined that the smaller sibling could physically stop his older brother.

"Besides that - EOS is here," said Alan. "Her processors are busy helping Brains find out everything we can about the Mechanic's poison!"

Scott turned his back on Alan, and after a deep breath hobbled around him using his cane and keeping Alan at bay with one large hand on his brother's chest.

"Scott!" Alan cried, but rather than follow, he turned on his heel and ran to the med bay to tell on his oldest brother. "Nothing I've said has made any difference." he said to himself on his way. "Virgil might have to sit on him to keep him from leaving. He's really not thinking clearly!"

Alan nearly slid to a stop after he entered the Med Bay. He stopped himself by grabbing the foot of Gordon's metal treatment bed and rattling the IV stand.

"Guys! Scott is leaving! You have to stop him!" Alan cried before anyone could respond to his abrupt entrance.

"Where's he going?" John asked.

"He said he was going to release Brain's water treatment - but then admitted that he's really hoping to run into the Mechanic!"

"No…" Virgil mumbled and left Med Bay with Alan on his heels. John frowned, but stayed to monitor Gordon. He figured that he or even Virgil and Alan wouldn't be able to talk Scott out of going once he made up his mind.

Brains and Grandma Tracy were also very busy with their tasks all meant to help Gordon.

Scott was already seated inside the submarine in Thunderbird Four's launch bay. Alan stopped, sighing. But Virgil kept on.

Alan cried, "Don't follow him Virgil! He won't mind getting you wet!"

"I won't melt," Virgil yelled back. Following him anyway, Virgil ran ahead without fear of getting wet. He was planning to sit on Scott if necessary to keep him from leaving.

"Virgil - Alan's right, you better clear Four's launch bay - I'm launching and you will be wet!" Scott threatened over the launch bay's intercom system.

"Scott! No!" Virgil yelled, and jumped back when Thunderbird Four's launch jets kicked up a log of water, soaking Virgil. His suit protected most of him, but without his helmet, water got down his neck.

To Alan, who stayed back far enough to stay dry, he said, "If Thunderbird Two wasn't out of commission, I'd pluck him out of the water like a trout."

"I know," Alan agreed. "I guess he's made up his mind," I really don't want to leave - but should I follow in Thunderbird One?"

"No, you should stay here too," Virgil said, "I'm sure he's already too deep for either Thunderbird to be able to catch him."

Alan's eyes lit up, albeit in regret. "What about getting John to use that Omicrane thing he used on you a few months ago and bringing him back?"

"Omicron, and no," said Virgil, shuddering at the memory of the anesthetic gas being used on him. Seeing Alan's confused look, he continued. "A. he has the counter code, and B. he's probably got his helmet on regardless."

"So no Slumbertime Scott," said Alan, and Virgil nodded.

Kayo entered Thunderbird Four's empty Bay. "I guess you couldn't stop him?"

"No, we couldn't stop him."

"Brains could override his systems and bring him back." Kayo suggested, having already worked out the contingency wouldn't work.

"No, I think at this point, he'd just jump out and swim."

"Yeah, he can be very… determined." Kayo agreed.

"We know he's really hoping to find the Mechanic." Virgil said. "It'll take him at least 30 hours to get to the area… Kayo, could you give him 20 or 24 and then shadow him in, well, Shadow?"

"FAB." Kayo agreed. "Maybe after he's had some alone time, he'll listen to reason and let me bring him and Thunderbird Four back."

Alan nodded. "FAB, he can't possibly be thinking that he - in Thunderbird Four, alone, could even be much more than a fly buzzing around to annoy The Mechanic."

"He wasn't thinking clearly when he left - let's hope his little ocean trip helps him clear his head." Kayo said, "I'll launch in 19 hours."

"FAB, and keep us informed." Virgil said, "We'll be tracking both of your locations."

"FAB," said Kayo and left the area. Virgil and Alan left too, the three were heading back for the med bay.

Virgil sat down in his same spot by Gordon's head. He took off his gloves and found his aquanaut brother's uninjured hand to hold again. His touch seemed to help Gordon wake up when he gave his hand a squeeze. He whispered, "Hi Gordo…"

Gordon whispered, sounding weak, "I heard everyone talking. Did Scott really leave?"

"Yes he's gone, and he took Thunderbird Four. He's just going to apply the water treatment for you." Virgil said, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Don't lie, Virgil. I heard - he thinks he's going after the Mechanic." Gordon whispered.

"First he'll do the water treatment. Kayo will follow him in Shadow and we'll bring him back." Virgil assured him.

"Come on Virg," Gordon said, his voice sounding a little stronger. "Brains said it will take weeks to get Thunderbird Two back on her feet."

"Not n-necessarily, Gordon," Brains interrupted, "I left the equipment on board Shadow for some heaving lifting after the Mechanic nearly destroyed the dam. It's not as powerful as Thunderbird Two - obviously. But it can carry Four back to base."

"With Scott inside, boiling with anger." Alan added.

"I hope not - by then I hope he's calmed down a little."

"Thunderbird Four will take care of him! She calms me down when I'm upset." Gordon said, tearing up in pain and sadness. "I just hope I see him again before... you know."

"No I don't know - or I don't agree!" Virgil said, narrowing his eyes as he scolded his brother. "You will be fine! You have the best scientific mind there is, working on finding you an antidote."

Brains stammered, "But V-Virgil, I'm not a medical - "

"Shhh!" Virgil, clamping a hand over the engineer's mouth to keep him from talking.

Seeing Brains nod, Virgil removed his hand. Brains left to work on the formula as the pilot scooted his tall stool closer to Gordon and brushed his hair from his forehead. Gordon had sweated and then stopped and sweated again so many times his hair was starting to look matted.

"I just wish you were here," said Alan a few hours later when he saw Scott's holograph in the living room.

"I wish I was too, but I'm here now - and I know when Gordon feels better, he will be happy to know that this part of the ocean is well on its way to being healthy again."

"Well, yeah… He would, but… Why did you have to leave right at that moment?" Alan asked.

"I don't know," answered Scott.

"You really don't know? Or you don't want to admit out loud that you know?" Alan said with wisdom beyond his years.

"I guess I don't want to admit it. I know it was selfish… but I…" Scott hesitated, and stopped talking.

'So there is more to the story,' the youngest thought. He continued, "Go on Scott, tell me!" said Alan with encouragement.

Scott rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable t discussing the topic, but pressed forward. "I just couldn't stand to see Gordon that way! I was having flashbacks of when I was lying under that debris, my skin burning - and… I know it was selfish of me - I was thinking about my own discomfort instead of my little brother."

"It's okay, Scott - it's understandable," Alan said. "You are only human! Don't beat yourself up about it, okay?"

"FAB… How did you get so smart little bro?" asked Scott, smiling softly.

"By watching my brothers - but really Scott, get home as soon as you can. I know Gordon needs you - and you'd never forgive yourself if… well…"

"It's my turn to understand what you're saying, Alan." Scott said, staring at Thunderbird Four's controls near his feet, and imagining that Gordon was piloting. "It'll only take a few minutes to deploy the water treatment in the area and I'll head back."

"You promise you won't go looking for The Mechanic, right?"

"Right, I promise. Besides, there's no way he'd come back here anyway - his hideout, equipment and plans were all destroyed."

"Kayo should be there any minute, if she isn't already in the area. Hurry home, huh?"

"You guys sent Kayo to babysit?" accused Scott.

"Now you know how it feels," Alan said, smiling.

"FAB little brother." Scott said. "And tell Gordon I'll see him soon."

"I will, but I don't know if he'll hear me Scott," said Alan, his face falling. "He's been unconscious for the last five hours."

"You should have told me! I'll hurry." Scott repeated not knowing what else to say right then.

The above ground reinforced 'room' where Gordon had been attacked by spiders remained mostly in one piece. It was on its side, dozens of feet from the splinters left from the sunken ship.

Scott, almost as smoothly as Gordon would have, piloted the yellow sub around the broken room and then over the sunken ship debris deploying the water treatment. There were hundreds of dead fish of various species floating against Thunderbird Four's front windows and several times he used the grasping arms to wipe them away so he could see.

"Talk about a fish fry," Scott mused sadly as he again used the arms to remove the fish. He paused when one fish of a particular species landed against the glass.

"Hmmm, Thunderbird Four to base - EOS are you still helping Brains on Tracy Island?" Scott radioed, thoughtfully looking out at the dead fish.

"Yes I am, John's old brother" answered the childlife voice.

"Hey - I'm not 'old'," the pilot said, then shook his head. "Never mind. EOS - patch yourself into Thunderbird Four's forward viewers. I want you to see the dead fish I'm seeing on Four's front window."

The AI's avatar would have flashed light red in annoyance if the holograph could match colors. "Dead fish are to be expected in the area. The combination of the pollution, high concentration of bacteria and the explosion would account for that."

"I know that EOS. It's not the fish, or the number - but the type. Verify the species." Scott ordered.

"Working…" EOS's lights flashed very quickly as she scanned the images of the dead fish in the area. "Scott, that fish, and several more nearby are surprisingly of the variety, Pterois."

Scott gave a slight smirk. "That is what I thought - Tell Brains immediately."

"I heard, and I'm working on it," said Brains over the intercom.

Scott proceeded to the blown out hole in the sea bed where the underground hideout had been. He steered the sub in a serpentine pattern, dropping small containers shaped like capsules. They had an outer skin that was dissolving seconds after being immersed in the salt water. The water behind Four was turning more electric blue than sickeningly green and yellow.

"One job down, now how is Brains doing on the antidote?" Scott said softly.

In only a moment, as though listening in, Brains radioed, "Scott - we are working on the antidote with a new direction - thank you for the information."

"I hope it helps in time, Brains. How is he doing?"

The engineer's face looked grave. "Worse Scott - much worse. I have him on a respirator now, and Alan just left to pick up Doctor's Luke Smith and Thelma Jones from the hospital and the Marine Biological center of Florida to assist in person."

"FAB, I'm almost ready to head back - I'll hurry."

Soon Scott radioed again to everyone, "Base, this is Thunderbird Four. All canisters have been deployed, I have returned to 20 meters depth, Thunderbird Shadow."

Kayo's hologram appeared. "Go back down a bit Scott. There is a storm occurring right over your position. I'm holding 20 miles from you right now, keeping even with the edge of the storm," she said. "It should pass in about 10 minutes."

"FAB, Kayo," Scott answered, "See you in 10 minutes."

"FAB," Kayo confirmed."

On the way back down, Scott called Tracy Island for a report on Gordon. "Thunderbird Four to base."

No answer, and he waited 20 seconds before he called again. "Tracy Island?" Scott repeated and when still no one answered he yelled int0 the communications channel, "Base! Tracy Island! Come in!"

When Grandma answered, her fear and sorrow came through clearly. "Oh, Scott! - Gordon…"

"No…" Thinking the worst, the pilot - not used to piloting a submarine in stormy water currents jammed the speed control forward - pushing the sub all at once. The current pushed the sub sideways and turned him upside down before he regained control.

"Grandma! Tell me what's wrong!" Scott groaned as he struggled with the controls, going much too fast for the conditions.

"Oh - they got him back… He's back!" Sally said.

"What do you mean? Grandma - Who's back." Scott demanded, a cold pit forming in his stomach.

Sally answered, "Sorry Scott, when you called - we were… busy."

"GRANDMA!" Scott cried, somehow he knew, but he needed to hear it.

"Your brother's heart arrested, it stopped -" she said, but seeing Scott's fear, quickly put her hand up. "But Brains and John were able to bring him back!"

The pilot sighed in relief, then rubbed a hand over his face aggrieved. "But for how long? Alan was right - I should have stayed there! I'm on my way back -"

"Thunderbird Four," Kayo's soft voice interrupted. Surface again, I can get you back to Tracy Island faster."

Scott slowed down and brought the sub to the surface. He unfastened his belt and pushed the seat back intending for Kayo to bring him up on a line to Thunderbird Shadow when he realized, "Wait, Kayo, there is only room for one inside Shadow."

"Yes, for two people our size - however…"

Before he could ask, the sub shook and a loud clang made Scott duck before looking up.

"You will stay in Thunderbird Four. We can't leave it out here alone again." Kayo continued as she retracted the cable and the sub was pulled from the water. Hearing Shadow's engines strain, Scott grabbed onto the edge of an overhead compartment door to keep from falling down.

"It's good Brains never took his modifications out of Shadow after the incident at the dam. It slows her down a little, and she can't cloak - but for this - getting you back to your family as fast as possible - it's perfect!" Kayo couldn't help but smile at her 'Bird's new, even if temporary capabilities.

Scott was back in Gordon's seat and had fastened himself back in. "Go Kayo- as fast as you can!"

"FAB," Kayo said.

Upon arriving home. Only a couple of hours later instead of nearly a day and a half, Scott ran inside. He grew very concerned when during the whole time in flight Brains nor John had contacted him with any update for Gordon.

When he ran into the Med Bay, with Kayo on his heels, he stopped abruptly and nearly collapsed at the sight. Virgil held Gordon's uninjured hand tightly squeezing it against his chest as he stared into Gordon's face.

Scott turned his head to look at his second youngest brother...

And much to his surprise and relief, Gordon's eyes were open! And the aquanaut smiled when he saw Scott. 'You better not have scratched my 'Bird," he said faintly.

Scott didn't mean to, but he nearly knocked Virgil out of the way as he put his hand behind Gordon's back and lifted him into a tight hug. "Oh Gordon… Gordon! I'm so happy to see you!"

The other family members stood close by watching. Brains got a tear in his eye and turned back to his monitors, counting every bit of vital data coming from the sensors attached to Gordon.

"Likewise, big bro." Gordon whispered breathlessly. The sudden movement into a sitting position made him dizzy. He squeezed his eyes shut, but he knew he was safe from falling.

Scott held on to tightly for so long, Gordon had to say, "Bro, I can't breathe."

"Sorry…" Scott whispered and he relaxed his hold, slowly letting Gordon back down to his bed.

"But how?" Scott said, confused, "Last I heard well, we almost lost you!"

"We had lost him for a moment or two," Brains said, unhelpfully. "Gordon's heart was stopped for three point six minutes."

"But now he's alive and awake! Will he be okay?" asked Scott, urgently.

"Yes, the poison is breaking down at the molecular level and being carried away by his blood. It will be expelled in his urine, so it is very helpful that his kidneys and liver are still working well," said Brains. "The substance I couldn't identify at first turned out to be a neurotoxic venom, from Pterois Hazdardicus."

"What is that?" Alan asked.

"Lionfish venom!" Virgil chimed in. "You remember Alan - Mom and Dad gave Gordon a huge saltwater aquarium at our ranch when we were kids. Gordon's favorite fish were lionfish."

"Oh yeah," said Alan. "So, still - how did you know that the venom was used in what poisoned him?"

"Lionfish do not live anywhere near Antarctica." Brains said. "They are tropical fish. Something that Gordon would have known, if he was conscious enough to identify them after destroying the Mechanic's hideout. Fortunately Scott suspected it, and reported it to me when he saw them."

"One fish did that to Gordon?" asked Alan.

The engineer shook his head. "The Mechanic must have had hundreds of lionfish brought to him so he could extract the venom for the poison. Fortunately the dead lionfish were still floating freely in the water after the explosion. As soon as Scott spotted them, I knew what had happened."

"The Mechanic must have had hundreds of lionfish brought to him so he could extract the venom for the poison. Fortunately the dead lionfish were still floating freely in the water after the explosion. As soon as Scott spotted them, I knew what had happened."

"I didn't understand why you left before, but now I'm glad you did," John said.

"I didn't completely understand it either, but now I'm glad too," said Scott.

The eldest astronaut frowned, "But lionfish are not usually deadly unless you're allergic."

"True, but not much else is so painful according to many of its victims, and in such a concentrated form, along with the other chemicals I identified, it would have made for a deady, extremely painful slow death."

"You meant the Mechanic designed his poison to be excruciatingly painful, on purpose?" asked Alan.

The Mechanic's holographic torso appeared over Brains work station. "Yes International Rescue. If you get in my way again -I'll end all of you in the most painful ways possible."

"You!" Scott began to yell at him, but his image was gone as quickly as it appeared. Kayo was urgently pushing buttons on Brains' keyboard.

"He's locked out of our systems, again - But EOS! How did he get through with you on base?" Kayo asked.

"He was 'slick'," the AI said, miffed that he had hacked into her systems again.

"Touche - you remember when I said that, EOS?" asked Kayo.

"I remember everything," EOS said smugly.

"Do you listen in on everything?" Alan asked, blushing.

"Almost Alan, almost," said EOS.

"Oh no," said Alan, looking at Gordon, who smiled mischievously, even though he was exhausted. He thought back to everything that went on in that house that they never thought about anyone, or any system 'hearing'.

Gordon then tilted his head toward the AI's holograph. "Hey EOS, do you know of anything that would make Alan do a girly faint?" he asked with a grin.

"Affirmative Gordon. Alan could have a fainting spell if he sees..."

Alan's eyes widened. "Don't you dare EOS!" he squealed.

The AI did stop her comment, but continued. "But Alan, it's important they know you have a second phobia besides the one they already know about your fear of ghosts."

Gordon chuckled. "Oh EOS… I didn't know he had that fear," he said, chuckling.

"So does John."

The eldest astronaut rolled his eyes before putting his head in his hands. "Thank you EOS - you've now given Gordon fodder for pranks..." he mumbled.

"You are welcome John." she quipped, not catching the sarcasm. "But it's minor to Alan's second phobia, which is..."

"Shush EOS!" said the youngest.

Scott, Gordon and Virgil laughed at their misfortune.

"Oh come on EOS, don't listen to Alan - what's his phobia?" asked Gordon, making the two astronauts turn.

Alan then grinned mischievously. "You know, even if she does tell you Gordon, think long and hard about using it against me…" he said.

"Why?" said the aquanaut, yawning loudly.

Alan's grin broadened, "You're a sitting duck there Gordon - for a few days anyway." he said.

Gordon yelped, cutting off his yawn. He scrunched down in bed and Virgil pull the covers over his head for him so he could hide. In only a few moments, the fourth brother fell asleep, comforted by the warmth of the covers and family around him.

Hearing Gordon's snores, the other brother's just smiled, thankful that their brother was still with them so he could prank them another day.

End.


End file.
